The Minds Count Foundation is an independent, charitable organisation with the objective of decreasing work-related psychological ill-health in the legal community and promoting workplace psychological health and safety.
Established in August 2008 as the Tristan Jepson Memorial Foundation (TJMF), the Foundation has been at the forefront of building greater awareness around depression, anxiety and mental health across the Australian legal community. In 2018, the Jepson family stepped down from the Board to hand the Foundation back to the profession, and the organisation continued operating as the Minds Count Foundation.
We continue to inform, educate and support organisations in the legal sector in developing psychologically safe workplaces. Through our initiatives, we recognise and champion new developments, research and operational best-practice in the area of depression, anxiety and mental health in legal workplaces.
Our Initiatives
TJMF Workplace Wellbeing: Best Practice Guidelines
In 2014, the Foundation launched the Workplace Wellbeing: Best Practice Guidelines (commonly known as the “TJMF Guidelines”) to which over 300 legal workplaces in Australia and overseas have become signatories. The Guidelines provide a comprehensive framework to support organisations in creating a psychologically safe and healthy workplace. The Guidelines have crossed professional boundaries, with healthcare workplaces, government departments and service providers choosing to become signatories.
Annual Lecture
Since 2006, we have presented the Minds Count Foundation Annual Lecture. The annual lectures provide a forum for the legal community to come together and discuss the issues we face as a profession regarding mental health and psychological safety. These lectures foster constructive conversation and create awareness in relation to mental wellbeing, while promoting innovative thought and strategic direction in the legal profession.
2023 Minds Count Lecture
Keynote speaker:
The Hon. Justice Jayne Jagot of the High Court of Australia, former Minds Count Director
Opening Address: The Hon. Justice Stephen Burley of the Federal Court of Australia, Minds Count Director
Panel Moderator: Danielle Kelly, Director of Culture & Inclusion at Herbert Smith Freehills
Panel:
The Hon. Justice Jayne Jagot of the High Court of Australia, former Minds Count Director
Peter Dunning KC, President of the Australian Bar Association
Fiona McLeay, CEO & Commissioner of the Victorian Legal Services Board
Watch the lecture here
Proudly sponsored by:
Herbert Smith Freehills
McCabes
Thomson Reuters
With invaluable support from:
Federal Court of Australia
Swaab
Lawyers Weekly
2022 Minds Count Lecture
Keynote speakers:
Berkeley Cox, former Chief Executive Partner of King & Wood Mallesons
Margaret Cai, Solicitor in the Competition team at King & Wood Mallesons
Opening Address: Justice Jayne Jagot of the High Court of Australia, former Minds Count Director
Moderator: Jerome Doraisamy, Editor at Lawyers Weekly and Board Director of Minds Count
Best Mental Wellbeing Initiative in a Legal Workplace award winner: Shine Lawyers
Individual Leadership in Legal Mental Wellbeing award winner: Andy Liao
Watch the lecture here
Proudly sponsored by:
McCabes
Leo Cussen
With invaluable support from:
Federal Court of Australia
Swaab
Lawyers Weekly
2021 Minds Count Lecture
Keynote speaker: Zali Stegall OAM MP, former Olympian, barrister and currently Independent Federal Member for the seat of Warringah in Sydney’s North
Moderator: Rich Hirst, founder and CEO of Tenfold Australia
Best Mental Wellbeing Initiative in a Legal Workplace award winner: Thomson Reuters Australia
Watch the Lecture here
2020 Minds Count Lecture
Keynote Speaker: Lucy Brogden AM, Chair of the Australian National Mental Health Commission
Moderator: Gus Worland, Founder of Gotcha4Life, Australian television and radio personality
Closing Speaker: Justice Jayne Jagot, Federal Court of Australia and Minds Count Board Member
Best Mental Wellbeing Initiative in a Legal Workplace Award winner: Morrissey Law
Individual Leader in Legal Mental Wellbeing Award winner: Annette Kimmitt
Watch the lecture here
2019 Minds Count Lecture
Keynote speaker: David Westgate, mental health advocate for the Black Dog Institute
Best Mental Wellbeing Initiative in a Legal Workplace Award winner: Herbert Smith Freehills
Individual Leader in Legal Mental Wellbeing Award winner: Clarissa Rayward
Watch the lecture here
2018 Minds Count Lecture
Keynote speakers:
Peter Jones, Intellectual Property Partner at DLA Piper
Dr Brian Marien, Co-Founder and Chairman at Positive Group
Watch the lecture here
2017 TJMF Sydney Lecture
Keynote speakers:
His Honour Magistrate David Heilpern LLB, LLM
Dr Greg de Moore, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, based at Sydney’s Westmead Hospital
Julie Blyth, Clinical Advisor at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
Watch the lecture here
2017 TJMF Melbourne Lecture
2017 TJMF Hobart Lecture
Keynote speaker: The Honourable David Porter QC
Read the transcript here
2016 TJMF Queensland Lecture
Keynote Speaker: Linda Lavarch, Australian politician and solicitor
2016 TJMF Sydney Lecture
Keynote speaker: General David Morrison AO, 2016 Australian of the Year
Watch the lecture here
2015 TJMF Lecture
Keynote speaker: Alex Malley
2014 TJMF Lecture
Keynote Speaker: The Honourable Justice Virginia Bell AC
2013 TJMF Lecture
Keynote speaker: John Brogden
2012 TJMF Lecture
Panelists:
John Colvin, Executive Chairman, Johnson Executive
Marcus Warner, Specialist Change Agent Consultant, Rogen Si
Matthew Stutsel, National Head of State Taxation, KPMG
Emma Buxton, Research Analyst, NSW Attorney General’s Department
Moderator: Julie McCrossin, freelance journalist and UNSW law alumna
2011 TJMF Lecture
Panelists:
Gareth Bennett, National HR Director, Freehills
Alex Boxsell, Legal Affairs Editor, Australian Financial Review
Dr Michael Diamond, Psychiatrist
Bruce Humphrys, Managing Partner, HopgoodGanim
Nigel McBride, Managing Partner, Minter Ellison (Adelaide/Darwin)
Patricia (Trish) McDonald SC, Selborne Chambers
Damian Sturzaker, Partner, Marque Lawyers
Moderator: Julie McCrossin, freelance journalist and UNSW law alumna
2010 TJMF Lecture
Keynote speaker: Professor Pat McGorry, Executive Director of Orygen Youth Health and Australian of the Year 2010
Watch:
2009 TJMF Lecture
Keynote speaker: Robert McClelland
Moderator: Elizabeth Broderick
Watch the lecture here
2008 TJMF Lecture
Keynote Speaker: Professor Ian Hickie
Watch the lecture here
2007 TJMF Lecture
Keynote speaker: The Honourable Geoff Gallop
Moderator: Professor Ron McCallum
Annual Awards
Commencing in 2019, each year Minds Count presents two awards to recognise innovation and leadership in mental wellbeing in legal workplaces. There are two categories of awards, the Best Mental Wellbeing Initiative in a Legal Workplace for organisations, and the Individual Leader in Legal Mental Wellbeing for individuals.
You can find out more about the annual awards here.
Newsletter
The Minds Count Quarterly is an email newsletter providing a curated list of resources relevant to mental wellbeing, focusing on recent developments in the field and practical information for members of the legal profession.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.