Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer has appointed Ilona Logvinova as its Global Chief AI Officer. She will lead the firm’s efforts to develop and apply artificial intelligence across legal services. The firm created the role to provide a single point of leadership for its AI programs, technology planning, and operational frameworks. Her appointment establishes a formal structure for coordinating projects across regions and practice groups.
HSF Kramer is a global law firm known for its work in disputes, corporate advisory, finance, regulatory matters, and cross-border transactions. It operates across major commercial centres and supports clients in infrastructure, energy, financial services, and technology. These matters involve significant documentation, complex regulatory standards, and large multidisciplinary teams. A dedicated AI function is intended to assist these areas by improving the consistency of research processes, documentation review, and workflow management while keeping core legal judgment at the centre of client service.
Justin D’Agostino, Global CEO of HSF Kramer, said, “Ilona will drive the firm’s global strategy to further leverage the potential of AI and legal technology in the service of our clients.”
The announcement follows a period of consistent investment in digital tools and internal capability building within the firm. With her arrival, HSF Kramer will begin the next phase of organizing its AI efforts through a dedicated global function.
New Role and Mandate
As Global Chief AI Officer, Logvinova will direct the design, development, and rollout of AI tools used in legal work. Her responsibilities include evaluating technology for research, contract analysis, litigation support, and due-diligence processes. She will also oversee the operational standards required for the responsible use of AI in matters handled across the firm’s international offices.
The role includes coordination between lawyers, technologists, and knowledge teams to ensure consistent adoption of approved tools. It also involves setting governance standards for data handling and system oversight. The firm stated that her leadership will help align technology programs with client requirements and regulatory frameworks.
In her statement, Logvinova said, “Innovation in law isn’t just about new tools — it’s about meeting client needs in smarter ways. Embedding AI effectively will be a defining factor for the next generation of global law firms.”
Logvinova’s Background
Logvinova joins HSF Kramer from Cleary Gottlieb, where she led innovation and transformation initiatives. Her work there covered technology implementation, operational improvement, and the introduction of structured innovation programs across legal teams. She supported efforts to modernize legal processes while maintaining compliance and quality requirements across the firm’s global offices.
Before Cleary Gottlieb, she held senior positions at McKinsey. She served as the global Head of Innovation at McKinsey Legal and previously worked as managing counsel at McKinsey Digital. In those roles, she guided the development of technology solutions for legal operations and internal advisory functions. Her work covered contract management, digital tooling, and process improvement within a large multinational environment.
Earlier in her career, she was Senior Counsel at Mastercard. Across these roles, she has built experience in innovation management, enterprise-level technology projects, and legal frameworks for digital tools. This range of work gives her a background suited to the operational and regulatory demands associated with AI use in global legal practice.
AI Strategy in Legal Practice
AI adoption in the legal sector continues to expand in areas such as document analysis, research organization, matter management, and process automation. Firms are using structured technology programs to manage workflows, reduce manual repetition, and support clarity in advisory work. HSF Kramer has been running pilots focused on knowledge systems and matter support, with teams examining ways to streamline information handling and improve consistency across its operations.
Logvinova’s remit also covers the coordination of legal-tech development with the firm’s internal professionals who manage knowledge systems and process design. By placing these responsibilities under one role, the firm aims to ensure steady progress in integrating approved AI tools into everyday legal work. The structure supports clear accountability for technology decisions and operational alignment across practice groups.
