Keystone Law has appointed 14 new partner-level lawyers from some of the UK’s top law firms, demonstrating the growing interest in the Keystone model as the firm continues its strong levels of recruitment this year.
James Knight, CEO and Founder of Keystone Law, said:
“Keystone continues to stand out to senior lawyers who are excelling and wish to be remunerated in line with their performance. Together with our flat structure and the complete autonomy we can provide, our offering to lawyers cannot be matched. As our firm grows through excellent hires, such as our latest new joiners, so does our reputation as a first-rate alternative to the traditional law-firm model.
“Each of these lawyers are highly skilled in their area of specialism and have an impressive track record of advising on a wide range of cases and transactions. They bring with them many years of experience and market knowledge, which will further enhance our full-service capabilities to our clients. We are delighted to welcome them to the firm.”
The new appointments are:
Stuart Carter — Energy
Joining from Fieldfisher
Stuart has over 30 years’ experience advising on upstream and midstream oil and gas transactions and projects across Africa, Europe, Caribbean, Latin America, South East Asia and on the UK Continental Shelf, where he has acted for a broad spectrum of clients, including small to mid-cap exploration and production companies, multi- and super-nationals, service companies, national oil companies and government departments.
Nicholas Barclay — Corporate
Joining from Macfarlanes
Nicholas is an experienced corporate lawyer who advises organisations of all sizes, from family offices to international corporates, on mergers and acquisitions, disposals, joint ventures, corporate reorganisations, equity investments and shareholder arrangements, and other domestic and cross-border corporate matters. He has experience across a wide range of industry sectors and has extensive experience in corporate real estate transactions, including acting for development managers on investment and acquisitions and disposals.
Muzaffar Shah — Technology and Data
Joining from Weil, Gotshal & Manges
Muzaffar is a leading advisor on data privacy and information governance, as well as commercial transactions. He works on many international data-related projects, including large-scale compliance programmes, data breaches, engagement with data protection regulators, contentious data subject rights issues, international data flows, innovative uses of data and the introduction of new technologies.
Fiona Nicolson — IP and Commercial
Joining from Bristows
Fiona has specialised in intellectual property and commercial law for more than 30 years. The key sectors Fiona provides advice to include life sciences, IT, industrial markets, academia and consumer products. Fiona is also highly experienced in international licensing transactions and has worked with many businesses in the life sciences sector, helping them to enter new markets using licensing and other collaborative ventures.
Chris Hill — Property Litigation
Joining from Fletcher Day
Chris is a property litigation specialist who works primarily on commercial property disputes. He advises on a wide range of matters including all things relating to landlord and tenant law, real property and contract disputes. He also has a wide range of experience in residential property matters and advises clients across a range of different sectors.
Gregory Barnbrook — Property Litigation
Joining from Fletcher Day
Property litigation specialist Greg advises on a wide range of both commercial and residential property disputes. Together with his general commercial property litigation work, Greg is an expert in the casual dining industry and works with large national restaurant chains and landlords in the sector.
Greg is a qualified solicitor-advocate with Higher Rights of Audience (civil) and with rights of audience in the High Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
Alexandra Carn — Employment
Joining from Edwin Coe
Alexandra is an employment lawyer with a specialism in the financial services sector, often acting for PRA and FCA regulated individuals and companies. She is highly experienced in advising on all employment-related claims, including whistleblowing, discrimination and equal pay. She also advises on High Court litigation including breach of contract, post-termination restrictions, and shareholder and board disputes.
James Daglish — Real Estate and Licensing
Joining from Goodman Derrick
James is a leisure and hospitality sector expert with over 15 years’ experience advising on real estate and licensing matters. His clients include an extensive and wide range of restaurants, pubs, cafe chains, nightclubs and investors.
John Downing — Residential Property
Joining from Goodman Derrick
John is a highly experienced property solicitor advising high-net-worth clients, both onshore and offshore, and on the acquisition and disposal of residential property in the prime central London market. He also advises in relation to the de-enveloping of properties held in corporate vehicles, general landlord and tenant matters, freehold and leasehold enfranchisement, and Stamp Duty Land Tax issues.
Elaine Chan — Litigation
Joining from Ward Hadaway
Elaine is an expert in commercial and insurance litigation and is extremely experienced in managing high-value product liability claims on behalf of insurer and corporate clients. Many of the disputes Elaine advises on are multi-jurisdictional, and a number of them have carried commercial and reputational implications which she has dealt with. Elaine also deals with a range of other disputes such as insurance, construction, contracts, subrogated recoveries, jurisdiction, property damage, occupier’s liability and nuisance claims.
Anna McGill — Corporate
Joining from Gordon Brown Law
Anna is a corporate solicitor with a wide range of experience in corporate transactional work, including M&A, fundraisings, joint ventures and group reorganisations. She also provides governance advice, as well as advising on commercial contracts and terms and conditions.
Before joining Keystone, Anna worked at Gordon Brown Law, Womble Bond Dickinson and Simmons & Simmons.
Robert Kenyon — Dispute Resolution
Joining from PDT Solicitors
Former PDT Solicitors and Irwin Mitchell partner Robert has extensive experience advising businesses and individuals on disputes arising from commercial relationships, corporate transactions, and other rights and obligations in a business context. He advises on dispute resolution strategies, formal processes, and associated compliance and risk management issues. Robert’s clients include business owners, investors, directors, management teams and in-house lawyers across a wide range of industries.
Oliver Mellman — Energy
Joining from Provenance Legal
Oliver is an experienced corporate/commercial lawyer with significant expertise in energy and commodities. He has over 25 years’ experience acting for banks, trading houses, energy companies, utilities, private equity funds and start-ups. His practice covers a wide variety of areas including acquisitions and disposals of energy and commodity assets, energy and commodity finance, joint ventures, structured transactions, supply, storage and offtake transactions, physical trading and shipping, financial derivatives and regulatory matters.
Joining from Provenance Legal, Oliver has also occupied senior management and leadership positions in the legal departments of BP plc, Morgan Stanley, RWE and Castleton Commodities.