Upton’s appointment, Deloitte said in a statement, is “part of a renewed direction” for the firm’s global legal network, aimed at bringing new business value by enhancing the firm’s ability to provide integrated, multidisciplinary solutions to clients.

She brings more than 25 years of IP and leadership experience, deep client relationships, and a solid business network, Deloitte went on.

Upton is the chair of the Minds Count Foundation, is a non-executive director of the Corporate Mental Health Alliance Australia, and served for almost a decade at DLA Piper, including as its Australian managing partner and global co-chair of IP and technology.

Speaking about the appointment, Deloitte Legal national leader James Fabijancic said: “We are thrilled to welcome Melinda to our talented and rapidly growing team.

“Melinda has a strong record of driving and delivering organisational, digital, and cultural change in global organisations and in finding innovative solutions to complex, multidimensional challenges facing clients.”

“This multidisciplinary approach has never been more important as we work with clients to manage risk, realise opportunity, and drive change for their businesses, particularly through enabling the uptake of technology in this defining moment for the legal industry.

“Our strategy is very much rooted in offering solutions to our clients and not just advice.”

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Upton added: “I am delighted to join Deloitte as a partner and Deloitte Legal APAC and Australia growth client lead.

“This is a very exciting time for Deloitte, and we’ve certainly gained real momentum in the Australian market and deepened our legal technical capability in IP, data and technology, contracting, climate and sustainability, and people and workplace areas.

“The world is getting more complex, and the opportunity lies in having the deep business and legal expertise, global scale, and brand reputation, all of which is crucial to being able to support clients and win the trust of clients as they identify fresh opportunities in new challenges.

“Thinking outside the box to operationalise top legal advice to deliver multidisciplinary legal solutions for clients together with overarching obligations to the rule of law will see better implementation within a client’s business and client relationships fully realised.”