Herbert Smith Freehills is proud to announce that Libby Jackson, Partner and Global Head of Practice for Alternative Legal Services (ALT), has been appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Queen's Birthday 2019 Honours List.

The Queen’s Birthday Honours List recognises the achievements of a wide range of extraordinary people across the United Kingdom. Libby Jackson (cited as Elizabeth Jane Bewick Jackson in the Honours List) has been recognised for her services to the Northern Ireland Economy and Innovation in Law.

Libby established and led Herbert Smith Freehills Belfast office, the firm's first dedicated Alternative Legal Services (ALT) hub and the first near-shore operation to be launched by an international law firm, in April 2011. Since then the ALT business has grown from 19 fee-earners to a multidisciplinary, global team of more than 350 lawyers, legal analysts and legal technologists in 11 locations around the world, enabling the firm to provide innovative global solutions for clients around the clock.

Commenting on her appointment, Libby said:

"I am honoured and humbled to be appointed an MBE.  So many amazing and talented people at Herbert Smith Freehills have been part of our shared success building ALT.  Together we have turned the firm's first-mover innovation in Belfast into a global, technology-enabled service for our clients driven by technical legal excellence. 

"Northern Ireland will always be close to my heart. It is an amazing place to build a business. We are particularly grateful to Invest Northern Ireland for all their support since 2011.  The talent, energy and high performance of our team over the last eight years attests to how great the region is as a place for making innovation happen."

Senior Partner James Palmer said:

"This is fantastic news – a wonderful tribute to Libby and all she has achieved both for the firm and for Belfast itself. I have always felt enormously proud of what the firm has done in NI and Libby has led this extraordinary achievement, building a team, a business, an employer and a culture. Creating new businesses is something special and under Libby's steer ALT has quickly become one of the most exciting and fast-moving parts of our firm.

"So I am thrilled for the firm, but even more thrilled for Libby, that her contribution towards regenerating Belfast as a new skills and services based economy, has been so wisely and publicly recognised."