Ian "Morrie" Morris, former NT Law Society president, of William Forster Chambers, died yesterday in his early 50s. He had spent two days in Royal Darwin Hospital's intensive care unit, the Northern Territory News reports today. 

Friend Peter Barr QC, president of the NT Bar Association, said Morris had a very deep sense of right and wrong. Morris worked as chairman of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal - the disciplinary body that keeps legal professionals in line, and hears complaints against them.

''When you do those jobs like the professional discipline stuff, it's more or less an honorary thing,'' Barr said.

''There's no great rewards in it ... it's for the good of the profession.''

Morris turned ''crusader'' for Darwin during the development of the waterfront - making sure the developer and the Government kept their words on building heights, NT News reports.

''He's done an awful lot of pro bono and free work for people who desperately needed a lawyer but couldn't afford one - that would never deter Ian. He could be grumpy, but always very funny.''

NT Law Society solicitor, Jacqueline Presbury, said Morris had a great sense of humour and was a keen golfer.