Thomson Reuters names eight Keystone Law partners in its Stand-out Lawyers Guide 2026
Andrea James, Andrew Darwin & Anna McKibbin
Paul is a top-ranked UK employment lawyer with wide-ranging expertise across all areas of employment law including executive dismissal, discrimination, whistleblowing, contract disputes and sport.
Paul’s impressive case portfolio includes complex, high-value and international matters which see him acting for partners, fund managers, city executives and sports stars.
Previous sport clients have included Roy Hodgson, Mark Hughes, David Moyes, Andre Villas-Boas, Nicky Barmby, Avram Grant, Steve McLaren and Alex McLeish. Other sport cases have involved top Premiership and England International footballers, and leading cricketers and rugby stars.
Paul also sits as a part-time employment judge following his appointment in 2005.
Expertise
Paul has deep expertise in high-value and high-profile whistleblowing claims, acting for senior professionals and executives in the financial services and corporate sectors, often in parallel High Court and tribunal proceedings.
Experience
- Acted for senior fund manager Mr Saeed in relation to a complex and high-profile whistleblowing case against LGIM.
- Advised a senior City fund manager on a multimillion pound whistleblowing, discrimination and unfair dismissal case in the High Court/employment tribunal.
- Represented a leading City executive on a multimillion pound whistleblowing case in the High Court/employment tribunal.
- Acted for a senior whistleblower in a high-profile whistleblowing matter about FCA regulatory breaches involving one of the largest UK financial institutions.
Paul has acted in complex and sensitive discrimination matters involving disability, sex, and sexual harassment claims, representing senior professionals against Magic Circle law firms, hedge funds, and major corporations.
Experience
- Represented a senior partner in a complex disability discrimination case against a Magic Circle law firm.
- Acted for a senior female Hedge Fund executive in an employment tribunal proceedings for sexual harassment and sexual discrimination against a major Hedge Fund.
Paul has significant experience representing professional footballers, managers and coaches in high-profile employment and contractual disputes with top-tier clubs, national teams and sporting bodies.
Experience
- Represented Roy Hodgson on his departure from Liverpool FC and subsequently on his England contract negotiation.
- Represented six different Premiership football managers in high-profile employment disputes.
- Advised a leading current England International footballer on his contract arrangements.
- Acted for a senior Manager in a top 6 Premier League football club.
Paul has significant experience representing professional footballers, managers and coaches in high-profile employment and contractual disputes with top-tier clubs, national teams and sporting bodies.
Experience
- Represented Roy Hodgson on his departure from Liverpool FC and subsequently on his England contract negotiation.
- Represented six different Premiership football managers in high-profile employment disputes.
- Advised a leading current England International footballer on his contract arrangements.
- Acted for a senior Manager in a top 6 Premier League football club.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Recognised by Chambers UK for Employment: Senior Executive 2002–2026
Acknowledged by Chambers 2025 for representing executives in complex employment disputes including whistle-blowing, dismissals and discrimination. He has notable experience acting for senior figures in the sport and financial services sectors.
Recognised by The Legal 500 for Employment: Employers 2025-2026
Recognised by The Legal 500 for Employment: Senior Executives 2025-2026
Recognised by The Legal 500 for Sport 2025
Recognised by Best Lawyers (UK) for Employment 2009–2025
Recognised The Legal 500 Hall of Fame for Employees/Unions 2021-2023
Recognised in Who’s Who Legal for Labour & Employment 2021, 2023
Recognised by The Legal 500 for Employment: Employers 2021
Recognised by The Legal 500 2020-2023 for Employment: Senior Executives
Recognised by The Legal 500 2020-2023 for Sport
Recognised by The Legal 500 as a Leading Individual for Employment: Employees/Unions 2020
Recognised by The Legal 500 for Employment: Employers and Senior Executives 2018
Member of the Lawyers International Network for Employees and Executives (LINEE)
“Paul has been an excellent partner throughout our engagement, with clear strategy and expert advice.”
Chambers UK 2026
“Paul was totally committed and supportive of my case.”
Chambers UK 2025
“Paul has been excellent to deal with, providing strategic advice with a long-term outlook.”
Chambers UK 2025
“Paul is a brilliant claimant lawyer and a great choice.”
Chambers UK 2024
“He is a top practitioner.”
Chambers UK 2024
“I trust him to deliver a good commercial outcome. He is tenacious and he is a real fighter.”
Chambers UK 2023
“I trust him to deliver a good commercial outcome. He is tenacious and he is a real fighter.”
Chambers UK 2023
“He provides excellent tactical advice on how to handle a case and handles sensitive cases very well.”
Chambers UK 2022
“He has a really good reputation and is a good negotiator.”
Chambers UK 2022
“Paul Daniels has a mass of experience acting for managers in football.”
The Legal 500 2022
“Paul Daniels continues to represent senior individuals in complex employment disputes including whistle-blowing, dismissal and discrimination. He has notable experience acting for high-profile figures in the sports world, and comes recommended as ‘a heavyweight name that one goes to with a high-risk claim for a very senior employee’.”
Chambers UK 2020
“Paul Daniels of Keystone Law has a broad practice that sees him advising individuals on unfair dismissals, whistle-blowing claims and other disputes. His client base includes sporting and financial services sector clients.”
Chambers UK 2019
“Clients praise his ability to ‘blend legal analysis with sound commercial analysis’.”
Chambers and Partners 2018
“Widely considered to be one of the finest litigators acting for employees in the UK” and as a “fighter who is very good on high-profile cases.”
The Legal 500 2018
“Paul is particularly renowned by peers for employment litigation and he often assists clients with complex whistle-blowing cases.”
Chambers and Partners 2017
“Renowned for his adroit representation of a number of Premier League football managers, Paul Daniels in described by sources as being both a ‘fierce litigator’ and a ‘tough negotiator’.”
Chambers and Partners 2016
“Paul Daniels ‘will go the extra mile to get the best results’ for his clients.”
Chambers and Partners 2015
Paul qualified as a solicitor in 1991. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2018, he worked at the following firms:
- Slater and Gordon
- Linklaters