ProfessorJenni Lightowlers

Jenni Lightowlers was appointed as Executive Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law in 2023. Prior to that appointment she served as Dean of the Law School.

As Dean of the Law School, Jenni had oversighted the expansion of the Deakin Law Clinic, which, as a Community Legal Centre, offers free legal advice to clients across a range of practice areas. The Clinic now has offices on campus in both the Melbourne CBD and Geelong. She also introduced electives in areas with high growth opportunities such as cyber law and data and protection. Experiential learning was expanded with support for mooting and negotiation opportunities for students as well as a program to ensure that all students have exposure to practical legal work before completing their degrees.

As Executive Dean, Jenni has oversight of strategy and implementation for both the Business School and the Law School.

Jenni is a founding Partner of FAL Lawyers. As one of Australia's few practising law deans her experience in private practice served to build a bridge between the profession and the opportunity to support student graduate outcomes. Jenni is arguably Australia's leading authority on establishing research entities such as industry growth and innovation centres and Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs). She is also recognised as a leading lawyer in the life sciences (health, biosecurity, biotechnology and medical devices). On commercial IP issues, she is considered "an esteemed presence in the marketplace" (IAM Licensing 250). In 2022 Jenni was recognised by IAM as one of Australia's leading intellectual property lawyers.

Jenni brings to the Faculty her experience across a wide range of issues including research funding opportunities; R&D agreement and taxation matters; IP protection; management, commercialisation and licensing; employment and workplace relations law; and general corporate and commercial matters. Jenni is particularly highly respected in the mining & resources sectors for her advice on technology innovation, collaborative research and defence export controls. Her expertise also extends to Government, having drafted, evaluated and structured legislation for Australian governments, prepared Ministerial briefing and policy papers and provided advice on multilateral treaties in the Pacific Region. In 2020 she was appointed as Chief Commissioner to the University of the South Pacific to support its improved governance agenda.