Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="Queen, post: 86537, member: 27"] A three-decade run at a global firm ended after one of London's heavyweight arbitration figures bolted for a disaggregated platform that lets lawyers pocket most of their fees. Knowles signs on at Keystone Law [LIST] [*]Ben Knowles locked down a partner gig at Keystone Law in London. [*]Knowles previously ran Clyde & Co's international arbitration practice. [*]Keystone's arbitration squad already runs 27 lawyers deep. [*]Hermes Marangos came aboard from Signature Law in 2024. [/LIST] Over three decades in cross-border disputes [LIST] [*]Ben Knowles carries 30-plus years of complex international arbitration work. [*]His client roster spans governments, state bodies, and VC investors. [*]Knowles leans heavily into Middle East and Saudi-linked matters. [*]Shareholder fights across fintech and banking fall under his belt. [/LIST] Why Knowles ditched Clyde & Co [LIST] [*]Ben Knowles had chaired Clyde & Co's disputes unit since 2017. [*]Keystone's flat setup and zero management duties pulled him over. [*]His Middle East-focused practice runs from London with no regional office load. [*]Conflict-of-interest risk drops without his old firm's insurer ties. [/LIST] Keystone's model and financial health [LIST] [*]Keystone Law went public on AIM in 2017, after a 2002 launch. [*]Self-employed lawyers on the platform pocket as much as 75% of fees. [*]Revenue hit £54m in the half-year ending 31 July 2025. [*]Adjusted pre-tax profit jumped 20% to £7.3m in that period. [/LIST] Clyde & Co folds the role entirely [LIST] [*]Clyde & Co confirmed Knowles left the partnership chasing fresh opportunities. [*]No replacement will fill the international arbitration head position. [*]Arbitration work gets absorbed into sector-specific practice groups going forward. [/LIST] [/QUOTE]

Name