Keystone Law appoints eight new lawyers to the firm

New arrivals join during COVID-19 lockdown period

Keystone Law is pleased to announce the arrival of eight new lawyers, who have all joined the firm since the coronavirus lockdown measures were put in place.

James Knight, CEO and Founder of Keystone Law, said:

“Whilst many law firms have put their recruitment plans on hold during the coronavirus pandemic, Keystone continues to attract and recruit high-calibre lawyers from the UK’s top law firms. This is a testament to the strength of our model and brand. Our high-profile new arrivals will enhance our offering to clients across a number of different practices and we are delighted to welcome them to the firm.”

The new appointments are:

• Rowan Brown — Rowan joins Keystone from RPC and is a highly experienced specialist in medical and life sciences law. She advises insurers, research institutes, manufacturers of medical products and pharmaceuticals, private healthcare providers, and individual practitioners. This includes advice on defending multi-party product liability and medical malpractice claims, clinical trials claims, and dealing with inquests and fitness to practise investigations.
• Chidi Egbochue — Chidi is a construction lawyer with a specialism in major construction projects across the infrastructure and energy sectors, both domestically and internationally. He is highly experienced in advising on construction contracts and has drafted and negotiated various bespoke contracts for some of the UK’s major projects, including HS2 project, TFL’s Northern Line extension project and EDF’s new nuclear development programme. In addition to his non-contentious expertise, Chidi has dealt with a range of adjudications, mediations, settlement agreements, claims under the Pre-Action Protocol for Construction and Engineering Claims, court proceedings and arbitrations, including professional negligence claims. Chidi previously worked at Herbert Smith Freehills and Clifford Chance.
• Nick Jew — Joining from Eversheds Sutherland, Nick is an employment law specialist who regularly represents clients in both the Employment Tribunal and in High Court injunction proceedings as well as advising on executive terminations, injunction proceedings, whistleblowing and discrimination claims. He also works with businesses on TUPE, redundancy programmes and large-scale corporate restructurings.
• Matthew Kichenside — Matthew joins Keystone from Goodwin and is a senior private equity lawyer representing both institutional investors and management teams on acquisitions, disposals, restructurings and equity incentivisation as well as portfolio companies throughout the investment life cycle.
• Robert Meakin — Robert is a highly accomplished charity lawyer with more than 30 years’ experience advising charities and not-for-profits, and schools on their applications for charity registrations, high-profile charity investigations, charity disputes and mergers. He also provides canon law advice to religious charities. Prior to joining Keystone Law, Robert was a partner at Stone King LLP and an ex-Charity Commission lawyer.
• Marc Palley — Marc joins Keystone from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, where he worked for 35 years. Marc has over 40 years’ experience in banking, capital markets, derivatives, real estate finance, restructurings and insolvency. He has advised a variety of banks, borrowers, and other entities, including companies such as Tesco, GUS and Absa Bank. The other aspect of Marc’s practice is dispute resolution in relation to banking, finance and capital markets.
• Kelly Sayers — Joining from Pretty Solicitors LLP, Kelly is an employment lawyer with more than 20 years’ experience in advising employers within the charities and not-for-profit sectors. She advises on all aspects of contentious and non-contentious employment law. In addition to advisory work, Kelly also acts as hearing officer in high-level grievance and disciplinary hearings and undertakes investigations into complex employment disputes. Kelly is a specialist in ecclesiastical law and has over 10 years’ experience working alongside a range of Church of England organisations across the UK on HR and clergy-related matters.
• Andrew Thompson — Andrew is an experienced Australia-qualified solicitor specialising in all aspects of commercial construction law. He advises funders, developers, landowners, contractors, tenants and professionals on the drafting and negotiation of the full range of construction contracts, such as building contracts, consultant appointments, bonds, guarantees, collateral warranties and associated agreements, both standard form and bespoke. Prior to joining Keystone, Andrew worked at Devonshires, Berwin Leighton Paisner and Allens Linklaters in Australia.