Melissa Davis

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT MELISSA DAVIS

I am immensely proud to lead MD Communications - an energetic, purpose-powered reputation consultancy for professional services firms. As Founder and Chief Executive, my vision has always been to create a business where communications is purposed to make a difference and drive change. I’ve built a phenomenal senior team of advisers from across the full spectrum of strategic communications. Together, we live this purpose every day – to the benefit of our local, national and global clients.After 18 years working within the professional services sector, I’ve built relationships that last. I’m a well-known connector with a black book that opens doors to referrals, relationships and growth. To facilitate diversity, I have also created women’s networks and run a series of private events to further the agenda. Our work on this front was rewarded in 2023, when MD Communications won an award for its diversity work at the Women and Diversity in Law awards. It’s crucial that our team has strong values and gives back to the sector in which it operates. I also believe that it’s vital that our chosen clients reflect the same values and culture. We work pro bono with the InterLaw Diversity Forum, Neurodiversity in Business, the IBA 50/50 by 2030 diversity project, Infertility in the City, and Only Mums & Dads and together with MD Communications Partner James Hayhurst, I co-founded the Positive Parenting Alliance, which focuses on children’s wellbeing during parental separation.I am a regular speaker at legal and International Bar Association conferences, and actively promote the IBA’s wider work. I sit on the advisory board of the IBA Law Firm Management Committee and its Business Development Working Group, as well as the European Regional Forum and the IBA Global Mental Wellbeing Taskforce. We also support the American Bar Association’s Transnational Legal Practice Committee. Before launching MD Communications, I was Head of Media and PR at the Law Society, where I helped instil a campaign driven edge to the professional body and the solicitors’ profession. When a crisis hits, I am frequently called upon to support internal and external communications. I also provide personal brand training and support the development of training academies in law firms globally. This experience set the foundation for what MD Communications has become – a leading agency for clients seeking the effective, campaign-based delivery of PR objectives and reputation management.