The guest speaker at the 2025 St John’s College Law Dinner was one of Australia's highest profile judges, Justice Michael Lee of the Federal Court of Australia, who joined us at College accompanied by his wife Penny.
Justice Lee is widely known for presiding over many landmark cases, including the more recent defamation case brought by Bruce Lehrmann against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson.
Also present were:
• The Honourable Susan Crennan AC, former Justice of the High Court of Australia;
• Justices of the Supreme Court of NSW including The Honourable Justices John Griffiths, Michael Walton, James Stevenson, Francois Kunc, Robertson Wright, and Ian Pike, as well as our recently appointed College Senior Tutor, the Honourable John Sackar AM KC, former Justice of the Supreme Court of NSW;
• Member of College Council, Judge Gerard Phillips, President of the Personal Injury Commission;
• Her Honour Magistrate Jacqueline Milledge;
• Retired Judges including The Honourable Arthur Emmett AO KC, Peter Hidden and Sylvia Emmett AM;
• Attorney General of NSW and Member for the seat of Maroubra, The Honourable Michael Daley;
• The Honourable Susan Carter, Shadow Assistant Attorney General, and Member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales;
• Deputy Dean and Head of the Sydney Law School, Professor Emily Crawford and former Professor of Law at the Sydney Law School, Professor Emerita Barbara McDonald. Other staff from the Law School including Dr Lyn Stevenson;
• Former Australian Ambassador to the United States and former Federal Treasurer, the Honourable Joe Hockey, and his wife Melissa;
• Former Ambassador to the Holy See, Mr John McCarthy; and
• Mr John Coorey, Chairman of the St John’s College Council.
The evening commenced with refreshments in the College Quadrangle.
Proceeding into the College Dining Hall, I welcomed all present, and the College Grace was delivered by the Vice-Rector, Dr Peter Cunich.
After the entrée, our College musicians sang the “Ave Maria”, written by William Gomez. This piece was sung by the 2025 Tobin Family Scholarship recipient – final-year College Conservatorium student Mairead McCaughan, along with the Danny Eid College Music Chair for 2025, Australian tenor Mr Diego Torre. They were accompanied by College Director of Music, Mr Richard Perrignon on piano and College Cellist Sebastian Mansell.
College first-year student Sam Wright, introduced our Guest of Honour:
“His peers describe him as an ‘unapologetic truth seeker’, and his friends describe him as the renaissance man, due to his love of arts, literature, and having a couple of quiet ones with his late friend Bob Hawke at the Sydney test. Justice Michael Lee is perceived as a man who dedicated his life to the pursuit of justice.”
The life of Justice Lee is one of utmost dedication and an inspirational model for all of us to follow. After graduating with an Arts degree at the University of Macquarie, Justice Lee transitioned to the University of Sydney to commence his postgraduate study of Law. After graduating from the University of Sydney with an Arts/Law degree, he contemplated three career paths: law, journalism, or the Catholic priesthood.
Whilst studying Law he was working at the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, where he decided “that given the order’s vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, it was difficult to conceive which vow presented the most formidable challenge to me.” Instead, he embarked on a brief stint in journalism.
On 21 April 2017, he was sworn in as a judge of the Federal Court of Australia, the second highest level in Australia’s judicial system. Most publicly, he was the presiding judge in the Bruce Lehrmann vs. Channel Ten defamation case.”
Justice Lee then delivered the address:
“…[My] bit of advice may sound simplistic, and on one level it is, but it is also, to my mind, of seminal importance: it is to have fun. I have loved each stage of my career, and the highs have well and truly outweighed the lows. In recent times I have often heard people prattling on about what they call a “work/life balance”. This has always struck me as a somewhat curious notion to the extent that it reflects an assumption that work, and the pleasurable parts of life, are to be placed into hermetically sealed boxes. In my experience, if you can find enjoyment and fun in your professional life, then it seems to marry seamlessly with the balance of your life.
I will end upon a personal point…You will be sorely tested as you move into your professional life. You have challenges that are far greater than previous generations, but those challenges are not entirely new…I wish you all the best in the completion of your time here and in joining a profession that, in large part, still has the inestimable benefit of being a meritocracy and can offer great personal satisfaction.
I am grateful for the opportunity of speaking to you.”
The Vote of Thanks was given by second-year Law student Jemima Carmody.
It was an incredible pleasure and privilege for the St John's College student body to hear from Justice Lee as one of the most respected judges in this country.
From his address at the dinner and his wider work in the community, it’s evident he possesses a commitment to truth and unbiased justice that is so needed in today’s often murky legal and political climate, both nationally and globally.
His words were not only insightful and weighty, but marvellously entertaining. The Justice recounted the hilarious ups and downs of his early career, relating to us as young adults who are too figuring out our paths.
As university students and adolescents, we are easily daunted by the prospect of having to take on a career and strive for the achievement of individuals like Justice Lee, wondering how to reach our own tiers of success.
Justice Lee’s message was simple but incredibly poignant for us. Enjoy the process of figuring it all out, trust that you’ll get there, don’t take yourselves too seriously and, at every point in life, have fun.
He reminded us of the responsibility that comes with leadership and accomplishment. The responsibility to use one’s influence and authority wisely and consciously for good, and to maintain good humour and a light heart even when in such serious roles of authority.
It’s a message that we don’t hear often enough and one that’s much needed in today’s demoralising global context.
Thank you Justice Lee for your invaluable insight, wisdom and humour!
The final part of the Dinner were the concluding remarks given by the Chair of College Council, Mr John Coorey.
The College is profoundly grateful to Justice Lee for his presence and insightful words at the 2025 College Law Dinner. It was truly an unforgettable evening!
Dr Mark Schembri Rector
