Thomson Reuters names eight Keystone Law partners in its Stand-out Lawyers Guide 2026
Andrea James, Andrew Darwin & Anna McKibbin
“An exceptionally commercially minded lawyer who approaches cases like an entrepreneur.”
- The Legal 500 2017
“Combines a realistic approach with a can-do attitude.”
- The Legal 500 2017
“Andrew Wong is outstanding, Exceptionally commercial in his approach. Finds solutions where others only see problems. Particularly good for central London hotels, restaurants and major leisure developments.”
- The Legal 500 2022
“Highly professional and quick service, a massive thanks to Mr Andrew Wong to help us get the premises licence!! Great job.”
- Korean BBQ & Vegan
Andrew is an established top tier rated licensing lawyer and has developed a following of renowned restaurants, bars, clubs, hotels, art galleries and museums. His clients include Tate Galleries, Chiltern Firehouse, Gaucho, Busaba, Barworks, and Alan Yau. Where firms do not have a licensing department, they regularly ask Andrew to advise their clients on the best licensing strategy.
Andrew has worked on some of the highest-profile cases and always aims to secure licenses without the need for an appeal. He excels in managing large portfolios for clients and helping them to expand across the UK.
Andrew’s particular strength is in negotiating with council officers, police and local residents, and has helped resolve many licensing reviews and closure order applications by way of agreement between parties.
Expertise
Andrew advises on licensing for major developments, including international hotels and regeneration projects, complex applications for nightclubs and bars, and structuring licensing aspects of acquisitions, funding, and restaurant chain expansion.
Experience
- Licensing the world’s most visited modern art museum, the Tate Modern on London’s Bankside. Secured the grant of a new and extended premises licence following the completion of its £260 million extension.
- Obtained a 24-hour licence for W Hotel.
- Secured a 2am licence for Hakkasan.
- Secured the licence for Chiltern Firehouse.
- Licensing of Park Chinois, Duck and Rice and Babaji for Alan Yau.
- Secured the licences for Bounce and Flight Club Dart’s social entertainment venues.
- Relicensing for the 24-hour licence for W Hotel.
- Obtained extension of hours and capacities for premises located in the West End Stress Area including obtaining an extension from midnight to 3am and an increase in capacity.
- Obtained the licence for several new Everyman Cinema branches across the country.
- Assisted Tasty PLC in its expansion across the UK.
- Advised on obtaining a new premises licence in a very tricky part of Westminster City Council. The application was granted following objections by local residents associations and ward councillor. The new licence enables Market Hall to open their fourth new site.
Andrew advises restaurants, bars, clubs, hotels, art galleries, cinemas, and museums on all areas of licensing.
Experience
- Obtained a 24-hour licence for W Hotel.
- Secured a 2am licence for Hakkasan.
- Secured the licence for Chiltern Firehouse.
- Licensing of Park Chinois, Duck and Rice and Babaji for Alan Yau.
- Secured the licences for Bounce and Flight Club Dart’s social entertainment venues.
- Relicensing for the 24-hour licence for W Hotel.
- Obtained the licence for several new Everyman Cinema branches across the country.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Recognised by The Legal 500 Hall of Fame for Licensing 2021–2026
Recognised by The Legal 500 for Retail and Consumer 2026
Recognised in Chambers UK for Licensing 2013–2026
Recognised by Best Lawyers UK in the practice area of Licensing Practice 2023–2025
Recognised by The Legal 500 as a Leading Partner for Licensing 2017–2018, 2020
Acknowledged by Chambers 2025 for advising clients in the entertainment and hospitality sectors. He advises on all kinds of licence applications.
Ranked in the top 10 licensing lawyers for London.
“Andrew is a supremely talented and commercially astute licensing solicitor who can handle the largest and most complex licensing applications.”
Chambers UK 2025
“Andrew is always on the ball, very responsive and always available.”
Chambers UK 2024
“Andrew has got excellent judgement and he approaches the cases with an entrepreneurial mindset that maximises commerciality on the application.”
Chambers UK 2024
“He is exceptionally commercially minded, has excellent judgement and is a huge asset to any client.”
Chambers UK 2022
“He is exceptional in his commercial approach and astuteness. He thinks like an entrepreneur and acts like a can-do lawyer. He’s superb and innovative in his approach to difficult cases.”
Chambers UK 2021
“Sources praise Andrew Wong‘s strategic approach, deeming him to be ‘extremely commercially astute and a first-class negotiator’. He offers expertise assisting with licence applications across the leisure and hospitality sectors, providing further advice on regulatory compliance.”
Chambers UK 2020
“Andrew Wong of Keystone Law is known for his ability to obtain licences on behalf of blue-chip clients. He is a most commercially-minded solicitor whose approach is that of a business entrepreneur rather than a lawyer. He is particularly good at negotiations with authorities and offers first-class strategy advice, notes a source.”
Chambers UK 2019
“Andrew Wong of Keystone Law is ‘an absolutely superb solicitor who approaches cases with entrepreneurial flair, commercial acumen and shrewd negotiating skill,’ according to impressed sources. He acts for clients such as high-end art galleries on restaurants on licensing matters.”
Chambers UK 2018
“Combines a realistic approach with a can-do attitude.”
The Legal 500 2017
“Andrew Wong of Keystone Law is particularly adept at advising restaurants on their licensing concerns. One source names him as ‘the most commercially astute solicitor I have come across in licensing.”
Chambers UK 2017
“Noted in the commentary as truly outstanding and stands out among the competitors.”
Legal 500 UK 2016
“The most commercially minded and commercially astute solicitor in licensing.”
Chambers UK 2016
“Andrew Wong is a licensing maestro. Commercially astute to an exceptional level. A strategic thinker in licensing. Especially strong in applications for large landmark mixed-use developments, luxury hotels and restaurants in central London. There is no one better at what he does. Andrew provides a real advantage to any applicant making a major make-or-break licence application.”
The Legal 500 2025
“Andrew Wong is exceptionally good in tough cases involving blue-chip clients, especially hotels, restaurants and bars in central London. Excellent commercial judgment.”
The Legal 500 2024
“Andrew Wong is outstanding, Exceptionally commercial in his approach. Finds solutions where others only see problems. Particularly good for central London hotels, restaurants and major leisure developments.”
The Legal 500 2023
“Andrew Wong is inventive and assiduous.”
The Legal 500 2023
“The ‘outstanding’ Andrew Wong advises on large-scale development projects in central London, such as Borough Yard.”
The Legal 500 2023
“Andrew Wong is outstanding, Exceptionally commercial in his approach. Finds solutions where others only see problems. Particularly good for central London hotels, restaurants and major leisure developments.”
The Legal 500 2023
“Andrew Wong is brilliant at client care, innovative thinker, good with licensing authorities and carefully considered in all he does.”
The Legal 500 2022
“Andrew Wong is exceptionally commercially minded and astute. Particularly good on London restaurants, retail and hospitality developments, bars and hotels. Approaches licensing like an entrepreneur, maximising the value of premises for clients and not simply as a lawyer. Results-driven, with many spectacular results under his belt.”
The Legal 500 2022
“Noted for achieving ‘excellent results‘, especially when advising nightclubs, off-licences and events.”
The Legal 500 2021
“Andrew Wong is especially strong when acting for bluechip restaurant, hotel and bar operators in Central London.”
The Legal 500 2021
“Andrew Wong is exceptional in is commercial approach and astuteness – he thinks like an entrepreneur and acts like a can-do lawyer.”
The Legal 500 2021
“Andrew Wong is a real star who looks for solutions to achieve the apparently impossible.”
The Legal 500 2018
“An exceptionally commercially minded lawyer who approaches cases like an entrepreneur.”
The Legal 500 2017
Andrew qualified as a solicitor in 2003. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2016, he worked at the following firms:
- Gordon Dadds
- Jeffrey Green Russell