The Australian Corporate Lawyers Association has announced Trish Hyde will be replacing Peter Turner in the top job after his eight-year stint.

Hyde joins ACLA after three years as CEO at the Confectionery Manufacturers of Australasia.

ACLA’s national president, David Patience, said of the change: “This is an exciting time for ACLA. As the peak body for in-house lawyers we are poised to take a greater stake in the legal debates in Australia and lift our offering and services for members.”

Patience said in-house lawyers’ role in guiding Australian business and government has grown in recent years, and argued that ACLA is going to be more active in promoting their interests and needs.

Hyde, meanwhile, has been engaged by the ACLA board to build on Turner’s legacy and drive ACLA’s profile and value for members.

Turner, who writes a monthly column for The New Lawyer about the in-house legal profession, has been involved in ACLA in some capacity for 30 years. He is acknowledged by the profession as having built the association to a united national organisation.

“The ACLA Board wholeheartedly thanks and applauds Peter for his valuable work. ACLA is a stronger and better organisation because of his work and the building blocks are in place for our growth. He has been the preeminent representative of in-house lawyers in business and government for over a decade,” said Patience.