PRESS RELEASE
Sherika Ponniah joins the Centre for Legal Innovation
as a Distinguished Fellow
SYDNEY March 14, 2018: Lawyer and legalpreneur Sherika Ponniah has joined the Centre for Legal Innovation (CLI) as the second member of its Distinguished Fellowship program.
In her new role Sherika will drive innovation within the legal industry by encouraging greater diversity and inclusion.
Sherika is the Deputy Head of Legal Content at Wolters Kluwer CCH Asia-Pacific, leading a team of 10 content professionals providing information, software and services to the legal profession.
She is a resident entrepreneur at the Macquarie University Innovation Incubator, working with law students and entrepreneurs to promote gender diversity, with a focus on greater inclusivity for professional mothers working in law.
In 2016 Sherika was one of 10 women tech entrepreneurs selected to take part in the Elevacao Foundation Pitch-Ready Program which aims to help women build successful and innovative tech businesses.
Her appointment was welcomed by CLI Executive Director Terri Mottershead who said Sherika’s background as a lawyer, entrepreneur and technologist made her the perfect candidate for the CLI’s Distinguished Fellowship program.
“Sherika brings the kind of creative thinking that the legal industry needs right now. Her work at CLI will assist the profession in developing a new definition for diversity and inclusion – one that celebrates different, new and creative solutions to the changes taking place in our industry, and then implements them,” Ms Mottershead said.
Sherika believes inclusiveness and diversity in the legal profession is an essential part of the legal professions response to disruption.
“Diversity has moved beyond just race and gender to include people of different backgrounds, beliefs and life experiences. My role with the CLI will focus on providing practical support for legal firms on how to be more inclusive, and to show how diversity of thought is needed to encourage innovation,” Ms Ponniah said.
Media enquiries:
Matthew Shaw: 0451 152 602
Erin Clare: 0405 258 863
Email: media@thoughtbroker.com.au
ABOUT THE COLLEGE OF LAW
The College of Law is the school of professional practice for lawyers in Australia, and New Zealand and Asia. We are the largest provider of practical legal training in Australasia. Our mission is to deliver innovative, practice-focused legal education and training to enhance the careers of practising professionals across Australasia and its region.
With over 60,000 graduates since opening in 1974, our alumni are spread across all facets of the legal profession in Australia, and New Zealand and Asia. The College’s teaching staff help set us apart from similar institutions through our focus on practical law and the needs of the practising legal professional.
ABOUT THE CENTRE FOR LEGAL INNOVATION
The Centre for Legal Innovation (CLI) was established by the College of Law in 2016. The objective of the CLI is to act as an incubator for new ways to practise that align with the new approaches to legal service and product delivery. Throughout 2018 it will be facilitating opportunities for the professions to discuss and debate the changes taking place in the legal industry, share experience, and find solutions that best support them in remaining competitive in a new and evolving legal marketplace.