Keystone Law has made 10 hires from a range of City firms, including Ince & Co, Addleshaw Goddard, Squire Patton Boggs and Withers, as the 'new law' outfit continues to build on its AIM listing last year.

The new hires all join as consultants, bolstering the firm's competition, banking and finance, corporate and commercial, construction, disputes, real estate and shipping teams.

Since it became the third UK law firm to list on the London Stock exchange last November, Keystone – which is led by CEO James Knight (pictured) – has looked to cement its position within the mid-market, building its key practices through senior hires.

Among the new recruits is former Ince EU and competition head Philippe Ruttley, who had been at his former firm since 2014. He brings with him 25 years' experience in private practice as well as in-house in various government departments, including the Treasury.

Ruttley referred to Keystone's "innovative structure" and its "appeal to entrepreneurs" as among the firm's key draws. "Each lawyer is in charge of their own practice," he said, adding that the firm combines the sensibilities of a solicitors' firm with the structure and spirit of a barrister's chambers. "It's a liberating environment," he said.

His departure from Ince comes during testing times for the firm, which recently reported a 5% drop in revenue from £88.5m to £83.4m, and last month completed a redundancy consultation that saw 25 business services roles and seven fee earner roles cut.

Keystone's other hires include former Addleshaws Qatar head Martin Brown, who was succeeded as head of the firm's Doha base by former Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman partner Ahmad Anani earlier this year.

Brown, a former partner in Dentons' London and Qatar offices, trained at legacy Dubb Lipton Alsop and had stints at City heavyweights White & Case and Ashurst.

Also among the new recruits are Squire Patton Boggs shipping litigation veteran Dharmendra Nair, construction partner Tom Phillips from fellow listed firm Knights, and disputes partners Gagan Ranu from Lewis Silkin and George Lambrou from Thomas Cooper. 

Keystone's corporate and commercial team has been bolstered by former Slaughter and May partner Elizabeth Holden, who has held a number of non-exec and consulting roles since leaving the magic circle firm in 2012, and former Withers partner Oleg Shvander.

Rounding off the recruitment round are real estate lawyer Robert Kilgour, who left Charles Russell Speechlys earlier this year before joining Keystone in June, and former Mishcon de Reya family lawyer Caroline Kelly.

Earlier this year, Keystone posted a 24% increase in revenue to £31.6m for the year ending 31 January 2018. Operating profit rose 29% from £1.7m to £2.3m, alongside a gross profit increase of 32% from £6.5m to £8.7m.