The former chief operating officer of global business services for BigLaw firm Clyde & Co is joining Alt-V Law, as the firm looks to deepen its executive-level credibility and expand its presence across APAC.
Alt-V Law, a boutique management consultancy which works with law firms across EMEA and APAC, has hired Derek Duffy (pictured) to expand its footprint in the Australian legal market, which will see him advising firms undertaking transformation across operations, innovation, risk, AI, and organisational design.
Between 2016 and 2025, Duffy held numerous executive roles at Clyde & Co, including as COO of global business services, global director of organisational transformation, and COO in ANZ. He also held senior leadership roles in Westpac, AMP, Aon, and Suncorp.
Duffy’s mandate at Alt-V will be to expand the firm’s footprint in the Australian legal market, including: supporting firms as they redesign operating models in response to AML Tranche 2 and regulatory change, advising on AI adoption and integration, and helping modernise business services functions.
In conversation with Lawyers Weekly, Duffy said what excites him most is being able to join a boutique consulting practice that works a bit differently.
“Every Alt-V consultant has more than a decade of experience, and what makes them unique is that they have all worked inside law firms in private practice, offshore and global firms, and even on the vendor side,” he said.
“That amalgamation of experience means they do not just advise from the outside, they know what it takes to deliver change on the inside. With Alt-V’s founders originally from Australia, the firm has deep roots here, and I am looking forward to bringing our deep collective experience to the market, supporting firms with operational transformation, AML Tranche 2 readiness, and technology adoption at a time when the Australian industry is at a real inflection point.”
APAC is a growth market for Alt-V, Duffy noted, adding that Australia is “right at the centre of that”.
“We already have talent on the ground here and globally covering a wide range of capabilities, which means we can deliver locally while drawing on our global expertise. With regards to Tranche 2, resourcing will be tight ... Alt-V’s global talent pool is the remedy to that shortfall which firms are already feeling the impact of,” he said.
“Our goal is to be the trusted advisory partner for firms undertaking their most critical change programs, whether that is finance transformation, compliance reform, or AI integration. We will achieve that by combining our proven track record with strong delivery, and by expanding our Legal Halo community of change leaders in the region.”
Australia is a tight and competitive market, Duffy continued, but Alt-V was founded by Australians, “so we know the environment intimately”.
“And, unlike many of our competitors, we are not tied to any vendors,” he said.
“That independence means we can act solely in the interests of our clients. It is that combination of local roots, global reach, independence, and senior-level engagement that sets us apart and will underpin our growth in Australia.”
When asked about the market challenges that he will look to address in his new role, Duffy said it is impossible to ignore the impact that AI is having on all industries.
“We’re observing firms’ responses ranging from keen early adoption right though to feelings of light existential dread. The impact of AI is going to continue to grow into the foreseeable future, and Alt-V are well placed to assist firms make the right choices around selection and deployment, rethinking operating models and critically, ensuring that adoption is woven into a firm’s culture,” he said.
“Locally, one of the most pressing challenges is the impact of AML/CTF Tranche 2, with firms needing to rethink risk and compliance operating models quickly. Alongside that, there is pressure to modernise their operating models, address lock-up and profitability, and make smart choices around AI and other technologies.”
These challenges cannot be solved in isolation, Duffy observed.
Conversely, there is an opportunity to turn disruption into competitive advantage, he said.
“Firms that redesign finance processes, embed proportionate risk controls, and adopt AI responsibly will not just comply, they will pull ahead.”
“We do not just design the future state, we help firms deliver it. That is what makes this move exciting for me – the chance to make transformation stick,” he concluded.
Jerome Doraisamy is the managing editor of Lawyers Weekly and HR Leader. He is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in New South Wales, and a board director of the Minds Count Foundation.
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