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Tim Lyons

Partner
Head of the Intellectual Property and Technology group, Australia
If you want an expert in ICT matters, who is approachable, available and commercial, then Tim Lyons and his team are who you need.
Legal 500 Australia 2021
About

Tim is an experienced ICT lawyer specialising in technology supply and outsourcing. Tim's expertise shines particularly in drafting contracts and procurement, where he excels in overseeing large-scale outsourcing projects and new technology. He assists clients to make their business better through leveraging new technologies.

What sets Tim apart is his knack for connecting with people. He's not just a legal expert – he's approachable and empathetic, making complex legal jargon easy to understand. Tim's ability to build strong relationships comes naturally, helping him collaborate effectively with a diverse range of stakeholders.

Tim's insights into government procurement are matched by his understanding of cloud computing and strategic procurement. He takes a personal approach to every project, ensuring that technology solutions seamlessly match government policy drivers.

When it comes to managing negotiation of contracts relating to complex technology or advising on protection of vital data, Tim is a master of detail. He ensures everything runs smoothly, using his meticulous approach and creative problem-solving skills to deliver positive outcomes.

Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria, 1994

EXPERIENCE

  • Advising a water authority in respect of the procurement of a digital water metering solution, automating meter reading and billing processes for 75,000 houses.
  • Advising a State Police Force on the outsourcing of all its IT Services for 500 personnel; and leading the negotiations in relation to the ITSC Project for the outsourcing of its end to end IT services to Kinetic IT, a USD160m contract signed in 2015.
  • Advising a Victorian Water Authority in relation to the SCADA systems controlling water levels and water distribution for 6,000km of irrigation channels, one of the largest areas of irrigation in the Southern Hemisphere.
  • Providing data protection advice in relation to data protection standards to a central government service provider providing services to more than 50,000 public sector employees.
  • Advising a global “software as a service” provider on a significant Australian data breach incident, including compliance requirements under the mandatory breach notification requirements under the Australian Privacy Act.
  • Conducting the Australian component of global privacy audit and use of a data lake holding millions of records of personal information for one of the largest media and advertising agencies globally.
Education
  • Master of Laws, University of Melbourne, 2000
  • Bachelor of Laws (Hons), Monash University, 1993
  • Bachelor of Science, Monash University, 1991

Awards

Beaton Client Choice Awards

  • Law & Related Services Practitioner – Finalist (2019 ed)

Best Lawyers Australia

  • Government Practice (2012-2025 ed)
  • Government Practice – Lawyer of the Year (2013 ed)
  • Information Technology Law (2017-2025 ed)
  • Telecommunications Law (2020-2025 ed)

Chambers Australia

  • TMT: Information Technology – Band 2 (2015-2016 ed)
  • TMT: Information Technology – Band 3 (2017-2018, 2023-2024 ed)
  • TMT: Information Technology – Band 4 (2021-2022 ed)

Legal 500 Asia Pacific: Australia

  • Data Protection – Mention (2021-2024 ed)
  • IT and Telecommunications – Mention (2018-2024 ed)

Referees value his 'deep knowledge of ICT outsourcing agreements between government service providers' and consider him 'highly skilled at negotiations and persuasive in achieving customer objectives.'

Insight Overview

Tim regularly presents to in-house counsel on issues in relation to the IT Sector, such as social media, and developments in procurement and outsourcing.

Publications

  • Australian mandatory data breach notification regime, 22 Feb 2018
  • 2017 budget impacts for innovation and technology, 10 May 2017
  • ''Outsourcing: A Practical Guide", Globe Law and Business, September 2015

Seminars

  • TechLaw Australia 2017, 14 Nov 2017
  • TechLaw Australia 2017, 22 Jun 2017

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Victorian Society for Computers and the Law
  • Law Institute of Victoria, Commercial Division

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