Being a lawyer is not easy and many lawyers prioritize their job as a lawyer over their own mental health. Whilst others may have to deal with opponents engaging in uncivil behavior that crosses the professional line. So why not give yourself a little grace and join us for this timely program to learn first-hand how to deal with these issues and then spend some time learning how to maximize your leadership capabilities while gaining your compulsory CPD units!

Presenters

Ms. Heizy Serrels, National Manager of Learning and Wellbeing,
Heizy Serrels is National Manager of Learning and Wellbeing Culture at the Centre for Corporate Health. Heizy is a registered psychologist who has over 15 years’ experience working in both private and public organisational settings providing a broad range of psychological and HR consultancy services. Her career has included positions in general human resources, education, counselling, and various clinical and non-clinical psychological positions. Along with exceptional consultation skills, she possesses great depth in technical expertise and is accredited in a large number of tools and methodologies. Recently, Heizy has undertaken projects that include large scale psychosocial risk reviews, vicarious trauma framework consultation, and a broad range of training and organisational development projects aiming to enhance wellbeing in the workplace. Most specifically, over the past 5 years, Heizy has been specialising in the legal profession, working with many of Australia’s top and mid-tier law firms, lawyers from the government and not for profit sector as well as various state based law societies.


Elizabeth Picker, Barrister, Edmund Barton Chambers
Among her qualifications, Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and a mediation diploma from Bond University. She is also an Accredited Mediator - Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (FDRP) and an Accredited Arbitrator. In previous roles, she has worked as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland (1994-1999), Solicitor of the High Court of Australia (1996-, 2007), Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW (2000-2007) and is now a Barrister of the Supreme Court of NSW 2007 (to date). Her area of practice at the Bar is principally in Dispute Resolution (in any areas suitable for mediation) and in the Family Law jurisdiction in both financial (property and maintenance) and parenting (child) matters. Elizabeth also has a steady practice in areas of equity including wills and probate & Family Provision matters.


Justin Penafiel, Associate, Shine Lawyers
Justin is an experienced, understanding and highly approachable employment lawyer with a well-rounded background in litigation, industrial relations, and HR advisory work. He is dedicated to providing a principled but practical approach to each client’s employment grievance and achieving realistic outcomes that help people move forward. At Shine, Justin assists individual workers at all levels, drawing on his workplace relations experience of assisting employers and managers with compliance and litigation in small to medium enterprises, as well as multi-national corporations. Justin conducts employment matters under the Fair Work Act, including unfair dismissal and wrongful dismissal, breaches of contract, performance management, bullying and harassment, underpayment claims and discrimination. Justin enjoys the technical aspects of employment law, as well as the practical difference his work provides for individuals; whether it’s helping clients during the difficult time of losing their job or protecting their workplace rights. His tenacity and diplomacy has also helped to build relationships within the wider legal community, which can make a difference for his clients when negotiating deals such as settlements (as this ultimately helps to reduce the need for litigation). As solicitor advocate, Justin has appeared before the Fair Work Commission (including an appearance before the Full Bench), the NSW Industrial Relations Commission, as well as the Federal and State courts. Justin also has broader experience in administrative (government) law and immigration law which has seen him be academically published during his career. Justin has a Bachelor of Economic and Social Sciences (Honours) in Political Economy and Asian Studies, as well as a Juris Doctor from the University of Sydney.


Ms. Christa Ludlow, Director, Weir Consulting
Christa is a lawyer, workplace investigator, mediator and coach with Weir Consulting (National). She held the role of Assistant Crown Solicitor, Employment Law, at the NSW Crown Solicitor’s Office from 2006 to 2013, managing a team providing legal services to the NSW Government. She was a part-time Senior Member with the Civil and Administrative Tribunal 2016-2021. Christa has a Master of Science degree in Coaching Psychology from the University of Sydney and is interested in the application of positive psychology in the workplace. She has coached lawyers and other professionals to help achieve workplace, wellbeing and leadership goals.