We love sharing the voices of our team, and we’re delighted to spotlight Juno Lawyer Margot Lyons. She brings warmth, creativity, and a sharp commercial mind to her engagements, be it complex legal issues, mentoring younger team members, or (in one memorable case) helping a client rethink their sandwich policy.
In this staff insight, she reflects on the value of flexibility, building genuine working relationships, and why great legal support always starts with listening.
What most attracted you to the flexible work model that Juno offers, and what is your favourite part of being on the Juno team?
Maintaining a work-life balance has always been my priority, shaped by supporting a partner through brain tumor treatment at 23 (in my first job). I was lucky to have a flexible workplace at the time and this experience strongly influenced how I’ve approached my career since. When my kids were young, I built my own business to create the flexibility I needed to be fully available for them. Now that they’ve almost grown, flexibility remains just as important for different reasons. Outside of work, I have a wide range of interests - tennis, golf, pickleball, painting - and most recently, our new, very wild garden, which has quickly become a 20+ hour a week project. What I love most about Juno (birthday meringues aside) is that I don’t have to choose between great work and all the other things that are important to me —Juno’s flexible model lets me do it all.
How do you adapt your approach when working with clients from different industries and sectors?
I really don’t have a one-size-fits-all approach, I simply focus on getting to know the people I’m working with, their business and understanding what they want from a Juno lawyer. This can vary widely. Some want a fast legal fix, others a sounding board, and sometimes I find myself in the role of mentor for the younger team members (which I love!). The key is listening well, asking the right questions, and adapting my support to meet their needs.
Can you share a recent example of a client engagement where you have had to think outside of the box to find a creative solution to a problem?
Running my own business taught me to think beyond strict legal frameworks, and I like to think that one of my strengths is that I navigate issues creatively and with a broad commercial perspective. I can’t go into the details, but one of the more unusual problems I’ve encountered during a Juno engagement involved a kimchi sandwich, a bottle of Chanel perfume and a new “Sandwiches at Work” policy!
What do you feel contributes to a great client engagement for you and the client?
For me, a great client engagement is one where I can build genuine working relationships and become part of the team. This can be challenging in particularly short engagements or remote ones, but it’s still entirely possible. Taking the time to understand how each person prefers to work helps me support them more effectively and leads to a much more enjoyable experience for us both.
Ngā mihi maioha ki a Margot Lyons, for sharing her Juno experience and way of working with the community.
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