Joy Harrison-Abiola has been appointed Chair of the International Bar Association (IBA) Law Firm Management CEO Subcommittee (LFMC).
The LFMC of the IBA serves as a leading global forum for exchanging best practices in law practice leadership and management. It focuses on sharing and discussing concepts, experiences, knowledge, and trends related to law firm and law practice management.
Emily Griffin-Saunders, SPPI/BIC Administrator of the IBA, recently announced Joy's appointment, stating:
"We are delighted to confirm your appointment as Chair of the Law Firm Management CEO Subcommittee to serve from 01 January 2024 to 31 December 2025."
The Law Firm Management CEO Subcommittee, a new global initiative, focuses on law firm CEOs, COOs, CFOs, CTOs, Practice Managers, Directors, and Lead Administrators with senior management functions. The Subcommittee aims to facilitate understanding, collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and professional development among law firm Business Services Professionals and Partners worldwide.
Joy Harrison-Abiola is a certified Organization Development, Leadership, and Business Transformation consultant with over 25 years of experience in the legal industry. She recently retired from Dentons ACAS-LAW after 22 years as the Practice Administrator, where she provided strategic leadership in managing the firm's business operations. Joy played a pivotal role in the historic combination of ACAS-Law with Dentons, the world's largest law firm, in 2021.
Joy was instrumental in establishing the first law firm management development program (MDP) at the Lagos Business School (LBS), Pan African University, in collaboration with the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) Illinois, USA. This initiative led to the formation of the Nigerian Association of Legal Administrators in 2010. In 2011, the Association evolved into the Practice Administrator Forum (PAF) and eventually became the Association of Law Firm Administrators, Nigeria (ALAN). Joy is the co-founder and President Emeritus of ALAN.
Joy is a Newspaper Columnist. Her column "FROM THE BACK OFFICE" in the LAWYER, a THISDAY Live Weekly pull-out focuses on the need for law firms to meticulously cultivate business best practices and embrace the multidisciplinary competencies necessary for effective business operations. The column delves into these nuanced concepts, offering insights on re-engineering the business services professionals' role within law firms.
Joy Harrison-Abiola, together with a host of other global officers are poised to improve the nexus between Partners and senior business executives in law firms, creating a future proof law firm management structure.