Keystone Law has hired Clyde & Co’s former international arbitration group head Ben Knowles as a partner in London to strengthen the New Law platform’s arbitration team.
Knowles brings more than three decades of experience in high-value, complex international disputes and associated transactional advice in the oil and gas sector, with a particular focus on Middle East-related matters. His clients include governments, state entities, including national oil companies, venture capital investors and large corporations.
His experience also spans shareholder disputes, particularly in fintech and banking, with significant emphasis on Saudi-related investments. He also advises on public international law, including for states and state entities, having represented clients from more than 40 countries across six continents.
Knowles’ arrival strengthens Keystone’s 27-strong international arbitration team, which also includes Hermes Marangos, who arrived from Signature Law in 2024. Knowles said: “The firm’s flexible and innovative model will allow me to focus on delivering outstanding results for new and existing clients,” while working alongside the firm’s other experienced partners.
James Knight, founder and CEO of Keystone Law, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Ben to Keystone. His extensive international arbitration experience and profile will be a tremendous asset to our leading disputes offering and first-rate international arbitration team. Ben’s appointment reflects our continued success in attracting lawyers across specialist practice areas.”
GLP understands that Knowles was drawn to the flexibility Keystone offered him, with a flat structure and no management role, having chaired Clyde & Co’s standalone disputes group since 2017 and the arbitration practice since 2014. He was made a partner in 1999, having joined as a trainee.
Keystone will allow Knowles to practice his Middle Eastern work from London without the need to service any regional offices, with reduced risk of conflicts, including with insurers (given his former firm’s interests), while practising at a different scale and providing him with a new challenge.
As one of the earliest firms to offer a disaggregated model, Knowles told this title: “I am excited to get involved with a newer style law firm model. All firms are going to change, and it is nice [to work] with one that is well down that track.”
Announcing his exit on LinkedIn last week, he thanked former colleagues, saying: “It is with some sadness, mixed with a good dose of excitement, that I finish my last day.”
Keystone was founded in 2002 and listed on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market in 2017. It pioneered the dispersed model, under which self-employed lawyers retain up to 75% of their fees, with the remainder funding support and infrastructure services.
The firm reported revenue of £54m in the six months to 31 July 2025, with revenue per principal up 10% to £116,800 and adjusted profit before tax leaping 20% to £7.3m. It had previously grown revenue 15% to £87.9m in the year to 31 January 2024, up from 8% growth the year before.
Keystone had added 30 partners to its ranks by January last year, according to its last set of published results, and announced nine new partners at the end of 2025 from firms including Fladgate, Cripps, Ward Hadaway and others, spanning the planning, corporate, commercial, family, technology and licensing teams.
A spokesperson for Clyde & Co said: “We can confirm that after over 30 years at the firm, Ben Knowles has decided to retire from the partnership to pursue new opportunities. We thank him for his work over his career with us and wish him all the best for the future.”
GLP understands that the firm will not replace Knowles as head of international arbitration. The spokesperson added: “Moving ahead, our arbitration offering will be delivered through our sector‑focused practices as we believe this allows us to better serve and respond to our clients’ complex needs, bringing deep industry insight to business‑critical litigation and arbitration across the world.”
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