Keystone’s latest hiring round sees 20 high-profile arrivals across multiple practice areas, broadening its firm-wide offering.

Construction

Building on the current Construction and Projects team, Keystone is delighted to welcome solicitors Ronan Speers and Jon Close to the practice. Ronan is an expert in construction law, benefitting from impressive international experience in both contentious and non-contentious construction matters. As well as being qualified to practise law in England and Wales, Ronan is also admitted in Northern Ireland. He has more than 20 years’ experience in his field, acting for funders, developers, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and construction professionals in the transport, oil and gas, energy, utilities, infrastructure, communications, civil engineering and construction sectors.

Construction and engineering specialist Jon handles both contentious and non-contentious legal work and is also an ADR accredited mediator. His practice focuses, largely, on acting for employers and their design teams, as well as contractors and engineers. Prior to joining Keystone, he was Head of Construction and Engineering at BPE Solicitors LLP.

Dispute Resolution

Keystone’s formidable Dispute Resolution team welcomes five new recruits who boost the practice’s offering to more than fifty all-senior litigators.

Boasting considerable experience in the oil and gas, renewables, mining and infrastructure fields, general commercial litigation and international commercial arbitration solicitor Ian Sellars joins Keystone Law from SC Andrew and previously held a role at Dentons. Alongside his extensive experience advising on international matters, Ian is also qualified to practise in Zimbabwe.

Consultant Solicitor Matthew Reach also joins the team as a commercial litigator, and specialises in advising on business-related and company disputes for a varied client base. Alongside him, Naomi Hatchard, an experienced personal injury and dispute resolution lawyer, joins from Eversheds. Naomi has worked for a range of corporate and public bodies for over the last thirteen years.

Meanwhile Antony Colman is an experienced commercial and product liability specialist and primarily handles disputes that arise from international trade. Joining from Thomas Eggar LLP, where he was a Consultant, Antony’s practice focuses on acting for insurers and manufacturers in product liability claims.

Ex Fasken Martineau partner Sam Samaratunga joins Keystone’s Healthcare team with a specialism in handling litigation and regulatory issues affecting the life sciences and pharmaceutical sectors. Also a qualified General Practitioner, Sam holds a first-class honours degree in Immunology and was a “LOCOG Games Maker” at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Funds

Broadening the Funds team, Keystone is delighted to welcome Simon Sutcliffe and George Malster to the firm. With extensive experience between them, gained in both private and in-house practice, the financial services lawyers will advise fund houses, banks and other financial institutions on the establishment and ongoing regulatory requirements of a range of financial products. The pair work across a range of jurisdictions in practice areas as wide-ranging as FCA investigations, restructurings, UCITS, AIFs, funds of funds, custody arrangements, and derivative instruments. In the past, Simon and George’s clients have included the Legg Mason Group, Blackrock, RBS, Macquarie Bank, and BlueBay Asset Management.

Completing the trio of new financial services joiners is hedge funds and private equity funds specialist Edward Black. Having practised in both the UK and US, Edward’s practice has a distinct focus on cross-border and multi-jurisdictional transactions and structures. He also has expertise in all aspects of finance and market law, as well as regulation and investments funds. His client base comprises funds and asset managers, advisers, brokers and investment banks as well as family offices and institutional investors.

Family

Thanks to the arrival of matrimonial lawyer Angela Medin, Keystone now has a 20-strong Private Client team, of whom 8 are dedicated family lawyers. Angela joins with particular experience in acting in divorce and financial remedy proceedings, having worked on a number of cases with an international element and for high-profile clients.

Employment

Industry veteran and dual-qualified solicitor and barrister Fraser Younson joins Keystone’s formidable Employment team as a consultant solicitor, bringing over 35 years’ experience of advising on all employment disputes, boasting particular specialisms in discrimination claims and prevention, European Works Councils, union recognition and disputes, and whistleblowing. Fraser joins from Squire Patton Boggs, having previously headed the aviation regulatory and commercial practices of three other international law firms, and is widely recognised as one of the most respected employment lawyers in the UK.

Alongside Fraser is Hilary O’Connor who arrives from Kind & Wood Mallesons, having previously trained at Magic Circle firm, Clifford Chance. Acting for clients across all industries with particular experience in the retail, media and finance sectors, Hilary advises on all aspects of contentious and non-contentious employment law. She possesses wide-ranging experience in advising on people management issues, litigation, restrictive covenants, board restructures and business reorganisations, and is regularly recognised by the leading legal directories.

Corporate

Keystone’s flourishing Corporate team has been further strengthened by the arrival of Nadim Zaman from Temple Bright, bringing the team to a total of 35 senior lawyers. Nadim specialises in equity investments, disposals, and mergers and acquisitions, and is an expert in advising high-growth companies on venture capital and private equity transactions, most recently completing matters for Accel Partners, Ventech, and the founders of Hassle.com. Previously, he held roles at DLA Piper and King & Wood Mallesons.

Also joining the Corporate team are banking and finance lawyers Colin Mattis and Simon Hopewell. Joining from Gateley Plc, where he served as partner and Head of Banking and Finance for five years, Colin focuses his practice on corporate banking, acquisition and structured finance, property and development finance, and security documentation. He advises a wide range of clients including both UK and US banks, building societies, institutional investors, and public and private companies.

Simon’s impressive career includes periods spent in-house at a large global investment bank, a FTSE-listed mortgage funder, a large independent fund administrator and more recently an offshore insurer, as well as in private practice. He is an expert in advising banks and large financial institutions on traditional lending, structured finance, and real estate matters, and specialises in non-traditional financing methods including offshore debt and lending funds.

Aviation

Hugh O’Donovan is recognised as one of the most experienced and respected aviation lawyers in the UK and joins Keystone from Ince & Co where he was head of commercial aviation. A barrister specialising in aviation regulatory, commercial and competition law, Hugh’s impressive career spans more than thirty years and has seen him advise a range of airlines, airports, regulators, governments, investors, financiers and travel companies.

Commercial

Completing the firm-wide expansion and joining Keystone’s 47-strong Commercial team are Robert Dunk and Peter Lumley-Savile.

Robert is a commercial lawyer with extensive experience in outsourcing transactions, focusing on the real estate and facility management industries. Having worked in-house for a number of years prior to joining Keystone, he has a wealth of experience in structuring, negotiating and managing long-term customer or supplier relationships.

Tracy joins Keystone from Motorola Solutions and boasts impressive in-house experience gained at companies including O2 (now Telefónica) and Vodafone Group. Having led a large number of high-value projects with a particular emphasis on complex commercial transactions, Tracy is an expert in technology and telecoms law.

Peter is an expert in the media and publishing industries, advising clients on printing agency contracts, distribution, industrial contracts, equipment supply, and professional engagement. He has broad experience drafting and negotiating commercial contracts and is also well placed to provide commercial, contractual and regulatory advice to clients in the financial services sector, focusing particularly on the insurance market. Peter joins Keystone from RPC.

Managing Partner and founder of Keystone, James Knight, comments:

“This wave of new joiners is a demonstration of Keystone’s market position, as a valid and accepted alternative to the conventional partnership structure. We’re delighted to welcome on board these 20 exceptional hires.”