Eight partners have joined Keystone Law in the latest round of new appointments. Hermès Marangos, David Farnell, David Griffiths, David Gwillim, Jonathan Riley, Alexis Petrou, Emma Thompson, and Emily Plosker will add to the firm’s highly established Dispute Resolution, Financial Services, Pensions & Incentives, Construction, Commercial, Marine & Shipping, Private Client, and Employment practices.

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

“In what has been a brilliant year for recruitment, I am delighted to welcome this latest cohort of superb Partners to Keystone. I have no doubt they will bolster the expertise of their respective teams and the firm’s client offering.”

The new joiners are:

Hermès Marangos – Dispute Resolution

Hermès is a highly experienced international disputes lawyer, having litigated, arbitrated or mediated complex high-value cross-border disputes in over 70 jurisdictions. He frequently represents major corporates on their multinational coverage programmes, where State interests are often a critical factor. He is also recognised as a leading authority on political violence and terrorism-related risks.

Hermès joins Keystone from Signature Litigation where he was a Partner.

David Farnell – Financial Services

David is a financial services disputes solicitor with more than 30 years’ experience, both in private practice and in-house (at RBS and CYBG). He has acted for many banks and other commercial lenders, principally those engaged in asset finance. He often helps recoveries managers or in-house counsel to formulate an early strategy for avoiding litigation. Such advice may concern an individual facility or lease, multiple agreements or portfolio management.

Before moving to Keystone, David was a Partner at Shoosmiths.

David Griffiths – Pensions & Incentives

David advises trustees and employers on workplace pension schemes. He has helped to establish, amend, close and wind up every kind of workplace pension scheme, including defined benefits, defined contributions, overseas pension schemes, executive top-ups (both funded and unfunded) and small self-administered pension schemes.

David joins Keystone having been a Partner at Squire Patton Boggs.

David Gwillim – Construction 

David is a construction lawyer and solicitor advocate of the Senior Courts. He specialises in resolving disputes through arbitration, mediation, adjudication, expert determination, and complex litigation. David is an expert in risk management, dispute avoidance, and resolution for a broad range of clients involved in building and engineering projects worldwide. He also represents clients before the courts and professional bodies such as ARB and RIBA.

Prior to joining Keystone, David was a Partner at BDB Pitmans.

Jonathan Riley – Commercial

Jonathan is a commercial lawyer who advises on a broad range of commercial law and commercial contracts matters. His work has a particular focus on project structuring, management and delivery, including shareholders’ agreements, JVs, partnering, collaborations, outsourcing and service agreements, supply contracts, management agreements, and terms of business.

Jonathan was a Partner at Memery Crystal before he moved to Keystone.

Alexis Petrou – Marine & Shipping

Alexis is an experienced commercial marine/trade and offshore lawyer, advising on both contentious and non-contentious matters, covering commercial contracts, the sale of goods, commodities finance, charterparties, bills of lading, marine insurance and offshore matters. For the offshore sector, he has advised on and amended standard-form and bespoke contracts, as well as handling complex litigations.

Alexis joins Keystone from BDM Law, where he was a Managing Associate.

Emma Thompson – Private Client

Emma is a reputation management lawyer who represents HNW individuals and businesses of all sizes on defamation, privacy, and data protection matters. She also has significant experience in providing advice for those engaged in contentious matters within the business, family, and sports spheres.

Emma was a Consultant at Howard Kennedy before she joined Keystone.

Emily Plosker – Employment

Emily frequently acts for both senior executives and employers in a variety of sectors including financial services, legal, private equity and media. She is a specialist on family rights including pregnancy, maternity and sex discrimination. Emily negotiates favourable settlements in addition to providing strategic and practical advice on dismissals, redundancies, disciplinaries, settlement agreements, employment contracts, policies, and restrictive covenants.

Emily previously worked at BDBF where she was a Managing Associate.

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