According to a statement from the firm, one of the initial focuses on the Digital Law Group will centre around the use of smart legal contracts.

The team will work hand in hand with clients to help them understand the effectiveness of smart legal contracts, help them during the drafting phase of such contracts and advise them on the legal issues around the contracts.

“Our clients are facing significant digital transformation, and so are we. Our people need new skills to be able to provide our clients with the advice they need in this new, evolving business environment. We know that this isn’t something that can happen in just one part of our firm – it has to happen across the whole business,” HSF CEO Mark Rigotti said.

“The Digital Law Group is our commitment to upskilling all our lawyers, wherever they sit in the business, and supporting them with technical experts, to provide advice with an understanding of the opportunities, risks, ethics and regulatory requirements brought on by digital transformation; the more pressing current hotspots being artificial intelligence, data, digital assets, robotics and automation.”

HSF’s new Digital Law Group consists of a permanent team of senior lawyers, with support offered by a rotating cohort from across the firm, a move that was deliberately made to encourage all staffers to participate.

Herbert Smith Freehills global head of digital law, Natasha Blycha, said the new group comes at an opportune time, with the near future set to see vast development when it comes to both the legal profession and client’s use of digital tools.

“The next 10 years will see an unprecedented level of change in the way legal services are delivered. The primary tool of our trade – the contract – is being digitised,” Ms Blycha said.

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“If we look at the impact the digitalisation of money had on the financial industry and on the economy, we start to get a glimpse of the enormity of the impact we can expect from the digitalisation of contracts.

“Our clients will need really informed and thoughtful advice on this – that’s what we’re doing with this initiative.”

HSF London partner Nick Pantlin, head of TMT & Digital for the UK and one of the pioneers of the group, added: "All future lawyers will need to be digitally literate”.

“Our strong technology brand means that we are already advising clients across all industries and geographies on digital transformation.

“The Digital Law Group further enriches the advice, technology and services we can offer to clients.”