Legal Awards 2019

7 APAC / 2019 Legal Awards , Aug19213 Best In-House Legal Team Consultancy – Australia & Award for Distinction in Contract Management 2019 After nearly twenty years in the legal industry, Mellissa Larkin knew that the traditional legal model was broken and there had to be a way. In 2016 she founded Peripheral Blue with the aim of disrupting the legal and professional services industries by giving clients access to top tier, responsive legal and advisory services in a flexible and affordable way. It has since been named as theBestIn-HouseLegalTeamConsultancyforAustralia,andhasgarneredtheAwardforDistinction in Contract Management for 2019 in APAC Insider. We dive deep into the firm’s workings and successes to discover how they became one of Australia’s top independent legal firms. Peripheral Blue is an award-winning legal and consulting firm based in Adelaide, South Australia. Founded by Mellissa Larkin, a lawyer with two decades’ experience in top tier firms across two continents, the vision for Peripheral Blue was clear – a disruptive new style of legal and consulting practice, engaging top tier talent and employing the latest technology to champion the needs of the client. Understanding that businesses often need more than just legal advice, the firm also offers commercial advisory support to help clients effectively run their business. Since its launch, Peripheral Blue has developed a reputation as a company providing top-tier & highly responsive services, and committed to forging and nurturing authentic, trusted thought partnerships with its client base, which includes ASX200 companies, large organisations and rapidly growing SME’s across a broad range of industries. Understanding that businesses have to remain flexible, dynamic and open-minded, Peripheral Blue has tailored its own service solutions to ensure that clients don’t have to choose between experience, cost-efficiency and personal relationships. For its SME clients, Peripheral Blue has created its ‘Counsel on Call’ service, effectively giving them access to their own responsive, in-house legal team – without the top-tier pricing. It is ideal for companies which don’t yet have an in-house lawyer or which have a small in-house legal team and guarantees a level of quality and consistency not seen in other outsourced legal solutions. For larger businesses with existing in-house teams, Peripheral Blue developed its ‘Talent Partnership TM’ solution, through which PBLawyers are able to provide insourcing and outsourcing services. This is ideal for companies during times of increased volume, staff leave, or where there is a need to outsource specialist, specific, legal or policy advice, such as in response to changes to regulatory compliance obligations. As the Peripheral Blue team has had experience working in both law firms and in-house, they understand the importance of finding the ‘right’ fit to hit the ground running with their client’s existing team. PBLawyers not only work collaboratively with one another to share knowledge but also make sure that any lessons learned during a project/transaction (especially where the in-house team has played a reduced role), are not lost. Integral to the success of Peripheral Blue’s innovative new model is the employment of the latest digital technology and communication strategies, which has enabled processes and workflows to be streamlined to assist staff and enrich the client’s experience. Mellissa’s commitment to providing a truly flexible working environment – a major turnaround from the ‘2,000+ hours per year’ model championed in the past – also reflects the value placed on providing an enriched experience for lawyers and clients alike. In founding the firm, the one non-negotiable was sourcing exceptional talent. PBConsultants and PBLawyers are alumni of premier law firms, ASX200 companies and state and federal government agencies – passionate about what they do, and the driving force behind Peripheral Blue’s disruptive reimagining of the legal industry. As a ‘New Law’ firm, unencumbered by the traditional restraints of BigLaw, Peripheral Blue has stepped away from the traditional legal methods to offer something new, and has the ultimate freedom to adapt its approach as it grows. Working to reduce risk, streamline processes, and move forward with confidence, this independent firm is changing the face of Australian law. Company: Peripheral Blue Contact: Mellissa Larkin Website: www.peripheralblue.com.au