Libby leads Herbert Smith Freehills’ global Digital Legal Delivery (Digital) practice, in addition to leading the firm’s Ambition strategy with respect to Digital and Legal Transformation globally.
As HSF’s new law offering, the Digital practice delivers results driven, optimised legal services, using process automation, design thinking, legal project management and advisory services, whilst leveraging the latest technological advancements, including artificial intelligence (AI) tools, smart technology and hybrid solutions. As Managing Partner, Libby leads this highly innovative part of the firm’s business to ensure it delivers new ideas and excellent value to clients, as well as providing access to an expert team of lawyers, project managers and technologists around the world, who together form a multi-lingual, diverse and high-performing team. Digital is a multi-million-pound global business with eleven hubs across the US, UK, South Africa, Greater China and Australia.
Libby joined Herbert Smith Freehills as a trainee solicitor in London in 1994. After several years of practice, primarily in large-scale commercial litigation, she moved into a legal practice management role and was responsible for setting up Herbert Smith Freehills’ pioneering Belfast office when it opened in 2011. This was the first UK-based, near-shore legal operation to be set up by an international law firm. Libby became a Partner, and Global Head of Practice, in 2017.
In 2019, Libby was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Queen’s Birthday 2019 Honours List for her services to the Northern Ireland economy, and for innovation in law.