The UK’s leading and fastest-growing firm, Keystone Law, has appointed another 11 senior-level lawyers, bringing the total number of consultant solicitors at the firm to over 160.

Joining the firm are:

  • Andrew Hignett from Lester Aldridge LLP
  • Dawn Mullins from Watmores
  • Diederik van Lede from Virtual Law
  • Dilek Kahraman from Simmons & Simmons
  • Malcolm Mason from iLaw Legal Services
  • Michelle Last from Stevens & Bolton
  • Paul Ranson from Pinsent Masons
  • Peter Jansen from Penningtons Manches
  • Raymond Levine from Maxwell Winward LLP
  • Rob Lawrie from Howard Kennedy
  • Robert Wharton from Foot Antsey

Keystone’s Property team, which is currently the firm’s largest offering, sees the arrival of its 6th dedicated Planning and Environmental lawyer, Andrew Hignett. Arriving from Lester Aldridge where he was Partner, Andrew has more than 30 years’ experience and principally advises ports and other organisations in the sector, on marine-related development. Also joining the Property team is industry leading expert Raymond Levine. With a career spanning 40 years, Raymond has built a reputation on providing a quality corporate and commercial service to the real estate sector. In addition, Peter Jansen adds another string to Keystone’s Construction bow, joining from Penningtons Manches where he was Partner.

Keystone’s Insurance team has also been bolstered with the arrival of dual-qualified Dawn Mullins. Both a solicitor and barrister, Dawn specialises in professional risks and has over 20 years’ experience dealing with both claimant and defendant claims.

Meanwhile the firm’s Corporate team maintains its consistent growth with the hire of Diederik van Lede from Virtual Law and Robert Wharton from Foot Antsey. Diederik is a corporate and commercial lawyer with vast transactional experience and a profound understanding of entrepreneurial needs in businesses. Robert, who has almost 40 years’ experience as a corporate lawyer, is a financial services specialist and acts exclusively for the industry and not against it. Their arrival brings the firms’ total number of Partner-level corporate lawyers to more than 30.

International lawyer Dilek Kahmaran joins Keystone’s Commercial practice from Simmons & Simmons and has a profound understanding of both English and Qatari law, across a variety of practice areas.

The burgeoning Employment team at Keystone continues to go from strength to strength, welcoming two new appointments: Michelle Last and Malcolm Mason. Michelle, who gained experience at global firm Mayer Brown before joining regional heavyweight Stevens and Bolton, has impressive expertise in a range of non-contentious and contentious employment law matters. Dual-qualified Malcolm brings to the firm over 30 years’ experience practising in England & Wales as a solicitor, and in the State of New York as an attorney and counsellor-at-law.

Accomplished regulatory expert Paul Ranson joins Keystone’s flourishing Life Sciences team from Pinsent Masons, where he was Partner. With a career spanning three decades, Paul has spent much of his career at various global firms and has also worked in-house at Smith Kline Beecham.

Finally, experienced litigator and barrister Rob Lawrie joins the firm’s with specific expertise in complex fraud cases, claims against directors, and shareholder disputes.

Keystone’s business model and approach to the practice of law has attracted a wealth of Partner-level lawyers, from leading firms, over the past couple of years. And with this latest group of new arrivals, the firm shows no signs of stopping!

“2015 has been a truly exciting year so far,” commented Keystone’s Managing Director, James Knight. “This wave of fantastic hires, across a range of practice is evidence that Keystone continues to attract only the highest-quality lawyers. We look forward to working with the new arrivals.”