Following the sun

As clients continue to look to their law firms to push the boundaries of service delivery in pursuit of greater efficiency and quality, Herbert Smith Freehills' (HSF) Alternative Legal Services (ALT) practice stands out.

A fully integrated and integral practice in Herbert Smith Freehills' international network, ALT combines cutting-edge technology with legal expertise to deliver innovative services for the high-volume, document-intensive elements of legal work.

As the first UK-based international law firm to create its own “captive” Alternative Legal Services Provider (ALSP), HSF has ensured that its clients have benefitted from a compelling combination of sophisticated technology and process-led legal expertise for over a decade now.

In the wake of the global financial crisis (GFC) in 2008, clients' demands grew for their legal advisors to demonstrate efficiencies and value for money. In parallel, the demands of regulatory change and compliance began to mushroom – as did the volume of data at play in legal matters. HSF responded early and decisively – with the launch of what would eventually become known as its ALT practice.

ALT was initially borne out of the firm's desire to efficiently deliver services to its disputes clients – primarily in relation to the significant document review exercises often required by large-scale litigation or investigations.

Fast forward to today, and ALT is embedded as a practice in HSF with an international presence across 10 hubs – allowing a seamless, “follow the sun” service. Comprising lawyers, technologists and legal analysts, ALT offers a broad range of services to clients across Corporate, Real Estate, Finance, Employment and Disputes disciplines – working both directly with in-house teams and in collaboration with colleagues from across the firm.

Digital literacy, and the ability to harness the benefits of technology for clients, has remained at the core of ALT's offering throughout its growth.  

In line with global business shifts, and the firm’s Ambition 2025 strategy, ALT is also adapting to serve the growing demand from clients as they address their environmental, social and governance concerns, adapt to the energy transition and look to private capital increasingly to support these transformations.