header-logo header-logo

25 October 2023
Categories: Movers & Shakers , Profession
printer mail-detail

Keystone Law—latest hiring round

Firm welcomes four partners & consultant solicitor

Keystone Law has announced the arrival of four partners and one consultant solicitor in its latest hiring round.

Construction & Engineering experts Julie Morrissy and Joe Bellhouse join the firm from Clyde & Co and Knights plc, respectively. Three former Ince Gordon Dadds partners have made the move to Keystone, with David Sutherland joining the Residential Property team, while Max Robinson and Lawrence Cartier have bolstered the firm’s Dispute Resolution team.

James Knight, Founder and CEO of Keystone Law, said: “At Keystone, we pride ourselves in being able to recruit and retain partners and solicitors of the highest calibre. The firm’s model which enables flexibility and autonomy remains attractive to lawyers who are seeking to make a change in how they work.

“I am thrilled to welcome our latest joiners, who are five truly excellent lawyers. Their experience and expertise will strengthen their respective teams and further enhance our full-service offering.”

The new appointments are:

Julie Morrissy, Partner, Construction & Engineering: Julie’s practice combines contentious and non-contentious work for a range of public and private sector clients. She has particular expertise in advising on procurement strategies and contract preparation, negotiation and administration.

She advises clients on a number of different contract structures including traditional, design and build, EPC contracts, construction management, consultants’ appointments, guarantees and bonds.

Julie was a consultant at Clyde & Co before moving to Keystone.

Joe Bellhouse, Partner, Construction & Engineering: Joe specialises in procurement and development of construction and engineering projects. He has particular expertise in advising on property developments (including offices, warehouses, hotels, retail, sports stadia, business parks, residential), energy projects, process plant, highways and bridges, ports, and other engineering projects.

Joe is also adept at guiding clients through project risks/challenges and developing strategies for any potential issues or disputes before they arise. He advises on contract claims, negotiation of settlements, and support in connection with formal proceedings including adjudication and arbitration.

Joe was previously a partner at Knights plc, BrookStreet des Roches LLP, and Wedlake Bell before he joined Keystone.

David Sutherland, partner, Residential Property: David is a residential property lawyer with over 20 years of experience in buying and selling leasehold and freehold properties across England and Wales. He advises on the full spectrum of conveyancing transactions, including sales, purchases, re-financing procedures, transfers of equity, and lease extensions and variations.

David was a partner at Ince Gordon Dadds and joins Keystone with his managing associate Sanna Mir.

Max Robinson, Partner, Dispute Resolution: Max is a dispute resolution lawyer with substantial experience in all aspects of commercial litigation, in particular commercial fraud, claims for breach of fiduciary duty and/or dishonest assistance, claims for professional negligence and also substantial commercial debt recovery claims. He frequently advises well-known private clients and companies and often with an international element.

Max was previously a partner at Ince Gordon Dadds before joining Keystone.

Lawrence Cartier, Consultant Solicitor, Dispute Resolution: Lawrence is an expert on complex national and multi-jurisdictional matters predominantly concerning the formation and performance of contracts, and, as required, dispute resolution and commercial litigation. He often acts for major banks, corporations and high-net-worth individuals nationally and in various parts of the world, including in particular in Europe, the Middle East, South-East Asia and Africa.

Before joining Keystone, Lawrence was a partner at Ince Gordon Dadds.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Harper James—Lottie Hugo

Harper James—Lottie Hugo

Commercial law firm announces appointment of corporate partner

Carey Olsen—Patrick Ormond

Carey Olsen—Patrick Ormond

Partner joinscorporate and finance practice in British Virgin Islands

Dawson Cornwell—Naomi Angell

Dawson Cornwell—Naomi Angell

Firm strengthens children department with adoption and surrogacy expert

NEWS
Freezing orders in divorce proceedings can unexpectedly ensnare third parties and disrupt businesses. In NLJ this week, Lucy James of Trowers & Hamlins explains how these orders—dubbed a ‘nuclear weapon’—preserve assets but can extend far beyond spouses to companies and business partners 
A Court of Appeal ruling has clarified that ‘rent’ must be monetary—excluding tenants paid in labour from statutory protection. In this week's NLJ, James Naylor explains Garraway v Phillips, where a tenant worked two days a week instead of paying rent
Thousands more magistrates are to be recruited, under a major shake-up to speed up and expand the hiring process
The winners of the LexisNexis Legal Awards 2026 have now been announced, marking another outstanding celebration of excellence, innovation, and impact across the legal profession
Three men wrongly imprisoned for a combined 77 years have been released—yet received ‘not a penny’ in compensation, exposing deep flaws in the justice system. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Jon Robins reports on Justin Plummer, Oliver Campbell and Peter Sullivan, whose convictions collapsed amid discredited forensics, ‘oppressive’ police interviews and unreliable ‘cell confessions’
back-to-top-scroll