Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW”) is delighted to announce that George Paleokrassas and Lindsey Keeble have been elected the firm’s new Senior Partner and Managing Partner respectively for a five-year term beginning in February 2022.
Their appointments form part of a new leadership and governance structure for WFW endorsed by the firm’s partnership, replacing the previous model led by joint Managing Partners and a Chairman.
New Senior Partner George Paleokrassas has led the firm’s Athens office since 2005, building the office up to make it the largest international law firm in Greece and in the top five overall. George is universally recognised as one of the leading lawyers in the maritime sector both in Greece and internationally and is the only lawyer listed in top legal directory Chambers & Partners’ elite ‘eminent practitioner’ category for shipping finance in Greece.
Lindsey Keeble, who takes up the mantle of Managing Partner, heads up the firm’s London Assets & Structured Finance Group covering aviation, maritime and rail – a team which has grown to 27 Partners. She has led WFW’s Global Maritime Sector since 2013, and jointly with George since 2020. Lindsey is recognised as one of the world’s best maritime lawyers and was named one of leading maritime sector publication Lloyd’s List’s Top 10 Maritime Lawyers for 2019 and 2021, as well as ‘Shipping and Maritime Lawyer of the Year’ at Euromoney’s Women in Business Law Awards (WIBLA) 2021.
George comments: “I am deeply honoured that my fellow Partners have chosen me to be the first Senior Partner of the firm under the new management structure. Lindsey and I have worked very closely together for many years and I look forward to continuing to do so in our new roles. Having spent our careers at WFW, we are both committed to the firm’s sector strategy and are passionate about creating an ever more sustainable business in a rapidly changing world”.
Lindsey added: “George and I both recognise the immense responsibility of our new positions and of ensuring the continued strength and longevity of the business, where our people have the chance to develop, express their views and ideas and have the opportunity to grow and ultimately see their careers fulfilled within the firm”.
WFW Chairman Nigel Thomas said: “I am delighted that George and Lindsey’s long-time commitment to the development of the firm has resulted in their appointment as Senior Partner and Managing Partner respectively. It’s a particularly exciting development as the firm moves into its fortieth year”.
