Skip to content
UK

Anna McKibbin

Partner

England & Wales

02033193700

anna.mckibbin@keystonelaw.co.uk

Anna is a commercial lawyer with over 25 years’ experience in the communications sector. She has particular expertise in subsea cables/digital infrastructure and is regularly instructed on sole build, consortium (capacity-based/open cables) and branch build projects – and advises across all project documents, including supply contracts, landing party agreements, C&MAs/JBAs and arrangements for backhaul, colocation and maintenance. Anna also advises on terrestrial network roll-outs and network sales. Recent subsea experience includes advising on matters relating to AAE-1, Havfrue, Havhingsten, 2Africa, Africa-1, IAX, IEX, SMW5, SMW6 and PEACE.

Anna’s clients are based internationally and include submarine cable owners, network operators and cable consortia.

Prior to joining Keystone Law, Anna spent four years with WorldCom (Verizon) with responsibility for supporting international network roll-out and all network-related sales transactions. She also acted as in-house lawyer to submarine cable system Gemini (WorldCom/C&W joint venture) and held Head of Legal positions at Abovenet and Easynet.

Expertise

Anna advises on subsea cable arrangements, fibre/spectrum/capacity sales, datacentre connectivity, and terrestrial network roll-outs, including dark fibre, ILAs, colocation, anchor-tenant agreements, and long-term maintenance contracts across complex telecoms infrastructure projects. 

Experience

  • Advised cable owners/carriers on open cable arrangements with small number partners and on more traditional capacity-based consortia across transatlantic, Europe, Asia (JBAs/C&MAs, supply contracts, LPAs, crossing agreements and related matters).
  • Advised on all matters relating to sole build system (supply contract, LPAs and related matters).
  • Advised on sale and acquisition of spectrum on cable systems, including lighting arrangements and backhaul extensions.
  • Advised on the addition of a new branch cable to an existing system and on the interconnection of two cable systems.
  • Advised consortium parties on multiple systems on fibre sales with related branch builds.
  • Advised on the acquisition of a fibre pair on an open cable system.
  • Advised multiple consortia on disputes with suppliers.
  • Negotiated joint venture arrangements for the establishment of a new world-class data centre.
  • Advised several submarine cable landing parties on their responsibilities, on backhaul construction and on capacity sales arrangements with other carriers.
  • Advised a pan-African operator on the roll-out of national networks, including negotiating agreements for fibre, colocation and maintenance services and negotiating back-to-back arrangements with anchor-tenant customers.
  • Advised several foreign incumbents on all aspects of their international relationships including subsea, correspondent agreements and joint ventures for network development and further assisting in its procurement of soft-switches and internet gateways, product development and disputes with other operators.
  • Provided commercial and regulatory advice to a UK-based broadband operator including discussions with Ofcom and preparing responses to Ofcom consultations, obtaining the grant of Code powers, drafting standard-term agreements and negotiating wayleaves.
  • Advised a data-centre operator on the acquisition of dark fibre to support its business and on its relationships with customers.

Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.

Anna qualified as a solicitor in 1996. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2007, she worked at the following firms:

  • Olswang
  • Worldcom (Verizon)

Anna's latest news and resources