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Herbert Smith Freehills Associate Shameem Ahmad has been elected to become a member of the Board of Directors of Liberty, a leading human rights organisation in the UK.

Shameem - who is also currently a member of the Policy Council - first became involved with the organisation when she was seconded there three years ago.

Towards the end of her secondment, Shameem was asked to consider standing for the Policy Council, a body of around 30 people who set the policy direction for the organisation between AGMs. The members of Liberty elect the Council and Shameem has recently been re-elected for her second two year term.

During her time with Liberty, she has contributed to Council discussions around issues such as: mental health; Brexit; the Human Rights Act; and data protection. In her latest role on the Board of Directors for Liberty, Shameem will be working with other Board members to set the strategic and financial direction of the organisation as well as maintain the overall governance of the organisation.

Commenting on her appointment, Shameem said:

"I believe that it's a challenging time for effective discourse on civil liberties and human rights. However, I think all challenges present opportunities. As such, it's exciting to be part of Liberty's work as it positions itself within those debates and advocates for our human rights on new frontiers."

Herbert Smith Freehills Partner Nusrat Zar said:

"This appointment demonstrates the hard work and dedication Shameem puts into her role at Liberty and we are very proud of all that she has achieved."

Founded in 1934, Liberty – also known as the National Council for Civil Liberties – is a cross party, non-party membership organisation at the heart of the movement for fundamental rights and freedoms in the UK. It promotes the values of individual human dignity, equal treatment and fairness as the foundations of a democratic society.