Chris Apple
Manager, Member Services & Development
Arkansas
The CLOC Member Spotlight series profiles the incredible individuals within our community who are driving transformation in legal ops. Each spotlight provides inspiration, fosters connections, and gives readers a chance to learn more about their peers. By sharing these stories, we celebrate the diverse voices and talents that make CLOC a vibrant and connected community.
Melissa Sibley is the Director of Legal Operations at Rice University. She serves as the lead for the CLOC Higher Ed special interest group. Keep reading to learn more about Melissa.
About me:
My path in the legal field started at a boutique firm as a docket paralegal where I met with clients, prepped cases, and received a firsthand look at how the courtroom works from a plaintiff’s perspective. From there, I spent over a decade working in litigation and corporate governance at an insurance company. Between trials, depositions, auditing, and working with regulators, I gained a deep appreciation for how legal systems function in over 40 states from multiple perspectives.
Eleven years ago, a bit of soul-searching led me to higher education and non-profit management. It has been a incredibly rewarding shift. My career has transitioned from paralegal, to Manager, to Director of Legal Operations. At CLOC, it’s been an honor the last two years to serve as the CLOC Higher Ed Group Leader where I’ve helped shape where our industry goes next. It’s an exciting time to be a nonprofit leader in higher education and I cannot wait to see what’s in store.
Why I love being a CLOC member:
CLOC’s global ecosystem is expansive, and, in my experience, its membership network and knowledge base is unmatched. The staff at CLOC have invested in reaching those of us in mission-facing roles. CLOC’s dedication, and the resources of many gifted CLOC members, have afforded the nonprofit, higher ed, association and government sector unique opportunities to collaborate. CLOC is helping us improve lives by giving us the space to connect, learn and innovate.
My advice for other legal ops professionals:
Consider a legal operations career in the nonprofit sector. Nonprofit legal ops professionals are elevating experiences for you, your children and communities. It is entirely possible, and a great privilege, to work in these spaces.
A fun fact about me:
I’m an avid vinyl record collector. I love the analog experience: tapes, records, books, newspapers, pen and paper. I treat my work like a creative discipline, which makes it both fun and personal. My faith, husband, teens, and family, are my north star. I love meeting new people. If you see me, say hello – I’d love to hear about your legal ops experience at CLOC.
CLOC Member Spotlights provide an opportunity to showcase members within our community who are making a difference in their organizations, in their CLOC groups, within the CLOC community and/or the industry as a whole. Do you know of a really cool thing a CLOC member is doing? We invite you to nominate a member of the CLOC Community for a future feature in the CLOC Member Spotlights Series.