SYDNEY: 29 January 2019 – Melissa Lyon will be the Centre for Legal Innovation’s (CLI) third member of its Distinguished Fellowship Program.
The Fellowship will see Melissa focus on the use of design thinking in innovating legal practice and transforming the legal client experience. This will include the development of practical case studies to illustrate and guide practitioners in the use of design thinking: to promote innovative thought and collaboration, and to create user and client centric legal practices, processes and business models.
Melissa is an Associate Principal with Hive Legal, one of Australia’s first and pre-eminent NewLaw firms. She has been helping to drive Hive’s Innovation Program including its “Hive Think” initiative in legal practice innovation. HiveThink is a framework which combines the power of purpose with design thinking principles and is being used by Hive to identify, design and implement ways to improve its clients’ experiences of receiving legal services.
Melissa was awarded Business Development Professional of the Year at the Australian Law Awards 2017 and was an individual Finalist for the LexisNexis Janders Dean Legal Innovation Index 2018.
She draws on many years of experience, including as a practising lawyer, partner of a law firm and holding senior business development roles involving leading numerous projects and programs at a top tier legal firm.
CLI Executive Director, Terri Mottershead, welcomed her appointment, “Melissa is well known to all of us at CLI. She has been a strong supporter of CLI’s work since its inception and is currently serving on CLI’s Chief Innovation Officers Forum (CIOF) Steering Group and AI and Innovation in Legal Practice Summit 2019 Program Development Group. Melissa is a highly sought after presenter and facilitator. She was one of the first and remains one of just a few experienced professionals in this area in the legal industry. We are delighted to welcome her as a CLI Distinguished Fellow.”
Ms Lyon says she is passionate about legal design thinking and the benefits its brings to contemporary legal practice, “I am motivated by working collaboratively and creatively to find human and user-centred solutions to improve the experience for both clients and those delivering the services. My role with the CLI will focus on providing practical support for legal firms on how to drive business development using purpose-driven means that identifiy and respond to client needs.”
Media enquiries:
Amy Leiper: 0414 643 446
Email: amy.leiper@thoughtbroker.com.au
ABOUT THE COLLEGE OF LAW
The College of Law is the school of professional practice for lawyers in Australia, and New Zealand and Asia. We are the largest provider of practical legal training in Australasia. Our mission is to deliver innovative, practice-focused legal education and training to enhance the careers of practising professionals across Australasia and its region.
With over 60,000 graduates since opening in 1974, our alumni are spread across all facets of the legal profession in Australia, and New Zealand and Asia. The College’s teaching staff help set us apart from similar institutions through our focus on practical law and the needs of the practising legal professional.
ABOUT THE CENTRE FOR LEGAL INNOVATION
The Centre for Legal Innovation (CLI) was established by the College of Law in 2016. The objective of the CLI is to act as an incubator for new ways to practise that align with the new approaches to legal service and product delivery. Throughout 2019 it will be facilitating opportunities for the professions to discuss and debate the changes taking place in the legal industry, share experience, and find solutions that best support them in remaining competitive in a new and evolving legal marketplace.