D6.1
Tracks
Stream D
| Friday, October 30, 2026 |
| 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM |
Overview
Blurred Lines: Poor Boundaries, Lawyer Wellbeing, and the Role of Organisational Psychology | 60 mins | 'How To'
Presenter
Dr Sarah Fischer
Behavioural Edge Psychology
Blurred Lines: Poor Boundaries, Lawyer Wellbeing, and the Role of Organisational Psychology
3:00 PM - 4:00 PMAbstract
The legal profession faces a wellbeing crisis that is increasingly well-documented but insufficiently addressed at the organisational level.
Recent large-scale research supported by the Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner (VLSB+C), conducted by the Australian National University and University of Melbourne (Holmes et al., 2025), found that approximately 30% of nearly 2,000 Australian lawyers reported symptoms indicative of heightened risk for depressive or anxiety conditions. Workplace incivility was widespread and directly predicted psychological distress regardless of source. Critically, almost one in three lawyers intended to leave their employer within 12 months, with the effort-to-reward imbalance, excessive workloads, and poor leadership culture cited as primary drivers.
These findings reveal a profession in which boundaries are systemically eroded: between work and personal life, between professional roles and emotional labour, and between acceptable and uncivil workplace conduct. The VLSB+C’s Wellbeing Guidelines for Legal Workplaces (Schrever, 2025) and the Lawyer Wellbeing Systems Theory of Change framework now provide an evidence-based architecture for intervention at individual, interpersonal, organisational, and sectoral levels.
Drawing on the presenters’ combined experience as embedded wellbeing managers within Victoria’s two peak legal professional bodies, the Victorian Bar and the Law Institute of Victoria, this presentation argues that organisational psychologists are uniquely positioned to support the legal profession in addressing boundary-related harm. Our field brings valuable models, theories and frameworks to the legal profession’s endemic stressors. We outline practical strategies including psychosocial risk assessment tailored to legal practice, work design interventions that protect recovery and role clarity, leadership development targeting ethical climate and supervisory quality, and reflective practice programs that strengthen interpersonal boundaries.
The presentation will also consider how Victoria’s Occupational Health and Safety (Psychological Health) Regulations create both a regulatory lever and a consulting opportunity for organisational psychologists working with the legal sector - all within the framework of an integrated intervention approach for workplace mental health.
Recent large-scale research supported by the Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner (VLSB+C), conducted by the Australian National University and University of Melbourne (Holmes et al., 2025), found that approximately 30% of nearly 2,000 Australian lawyers reported symptoms indicative of heightened risk for depressive or anxiety conditions. Workplace incivility was widespread and directly predicted psychological distress regardless of source. Critically, almost one in three lawyers intended to leave their employer within 12 months, with the effort-to-reward imbalance, excessive workloads, and poor leadership culture cited as primary drivers.
These findings reveal a profession in which boundaries are systemically eroded: between work and personal life, between professional roles and emotional labour, and between acceptable and uncivil workplace conduct. The VLSB+C’s Wellbeing Guidelines for Legal Workplaces (Schrever, 2025) and the Lawyer Wellbeing Systems Theory of Change framework now provide an evidence-based architecture for intervention at individual, interpersonal, organisational, and sectoral levels.
Drawing on the presenters’ combined experience as embedded wellbeing managers within Victoria’s two peak legal professional bodies, the Victorian Bar and the Law Institute of Victoria, this presentation argues that organisational psychologists are uniquely positioned to support the legal profession in addressing boundary-related harm. Our field brings valuable models, theories and frameworks to the legal profession’s endemic stressors. We outline practical strategies including psychosocial risk assessment tailored to legal practice, work design interventions that protect recovery and role clarity, leadership development targeting ethical climate and supervisory quality, and reflective practice programs that strengthen interpersonal boundaries.
The presentation will also consider how Victoria’s Occupational Health and Safety (Psychological Health) Regulations create both a regulatory lever and a consulting opportunity for organisational psychologists working with the legal sector - all within the framework of an integrated intervention approach for workplace mental health.
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Dr Sarah Fischer is a registered psychologist with AHPRA endorsement in organisational psychology, and Principal Psychologist of Behavioural Edge Psychology in Melbourne. She holds a PhD in Psychology and a Master of Psychology (Industrial and Organisational) and serves as Wellbeing Manager at the Victorian Bar. In this role, she designs and delivers wellbeing strategy, reflective practice programs, and psychosocial risk initiatives for barristers across Victoria. Sarah has over a decade of university teaching experience at Deakin University and a published research record in leadership, psychological safety, and organisational change. Her previous senior executive roles at Safer Care Victoria included Director of Clinical Governance, Culture and Capability, and Acting Executive Director. Sarah’s practice is grounded in trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming frameworks, and she brings deep expertise in translating organisational psychology evidence into practical interventions for high-demand professional settings.
Ms Emily Knowles
Wellbeing Manager
Law Institute of Victoria
Blurred Lines: Poor Boundaries, Lawyer Wellbeing, and the Role of Organisational Psychology
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM.....
Emily Knowles is a practising psychologist with expertise in workplace wellbeing, combining biopsychosocial, humanistic, and organisational psychology perspectives. She has a research background in individual differences (personality and personal values) and leadership, and is actively involved in wellbeing advocacy across Victoria, nationally, and through engagement with international bodies. Her work focuses on the interplay between individual differences, occupational stressors, and professional culture. Emily has a deep specialism in lawyer wellbeing, with more than a decade of experience working in and around the law. Over the past two years, in her role as Wellbeing Manager at the Law Institute of Victoria, she has contributed to the design and implementation of sector-wide initiatives reaching more than 21,000 solicitors, supporting lawyers navigating complex work, demanding roles, and high-performance cultures. At the Institute, she has established an evidence-based portfolio, leading psychological services for lawyers and integrating psychoeducation and support pathways. Her work spans professionals and organisations across metropolitan and regional Victoria, offering a blend of individual support, organisation-level guidance and sector-level strategies.
