Set out below is a glossary of terms used by the firm.
Accounts Team
The Central Office department that deals with financial matters including invoicing and money movements.
Acting Lawyer
The lawyer who carries out work on a particular client matter. A client/matter may have several Acting Lawyers.
Administration Team
The Central Office department that deals with administrative matters including post, couriers and archiving.
Alternative Funding Sheet
An annex to any contentious Engagement Letter detailing the sources of funding available to clients in respect of litigation in such a form to comply with our obligations under the Code.
Anti-Bribery Policy
The firm's mandatory policy in relation to bribery, which you can view here.
Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions Policy
The firm's mandatory policy in relation to anti-money laundering, which you can view here.
Archiving Form
A Keystone form that lawyers complete when sending paper files to Central Office for archiving, which you can view here.
ATE Insurance
After-the-Event Insurance, something that clients instructing us on a CFA often purchase.
Audit Enquiries Policy
The firm's policy in relation to audit enquiries , which you can view here.
Bespoke Undertaking
An undertaking given by a Keystone lawyer in circumstances that are not simply routine and if they relate to money, then they relate to a sum in excess of £2,500 (ex VAT).
Cashier
The sub-division of the Accounts Team that receives and remits funds.
CAT
Client Authority to Transfer, being a letter from the client(s) authorising a transfer in our standard form.
CDD
Customer due diligence, otherwise known as anti-money laundering identification or KYC (know your client) information in accordance with the Money Laundering Regulations.
CDD Checklist
A guide setting out the documents the firm requires for CDD, which you can view here.
Central Number
The main telephone number for the firm as it appears on our notepaper, the Website, business cards, any literature and all directories, being 020 3319 3700.
Central Office
Keystone's central administrative hub located at 48 Chancery Lane, London.
Central Office Lawyers (COLs)
The team of paralegals, trainees and recently qualified solicitors in Central Office.
CFA
Conditional Fee Agreement
Client Account
The firm's client account, or more particular the relevant of the three client accounts denominated in (i) pounds sterling, (ii) US dollars and (iii) Euros.
Client Account Interest Policy
The firm's policy in relation to interest accruing on Client Funds, which you can view here.
Client Funds
Funds that belong to a client held in the Client Account.
Client Ledger
The balance in the Client Account for a given client, which you can view here.
Client List
A list of the firm's clients, save those where Client Owners have opted those clients out of appearing in the list, which you can view here.
Client Owner
The lawyer (or where appropriate the lawyer's Pod) who introduces a client/matter to Keystone and is said to own' that client/matter in accordance with the firm's rules on client ownership.
Client/Matter Number
The unique reference number issued by Central Office for each new file.
Clients Team
The Central Office department of administrators who deal with client on boarding and AML, whose email address is clients@keystonelaw.co.uk.
Code
The SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs, RFLs and RSLs
Complaints Policy
The firm's mandatory policy in relation to complaints, which you can view here.
Compliance Team
The Central Office department that deals with all matters of compliance at Keystone, headed by the Director of Operations and Compliance.
Conflict Check
A check carried out by the Clients Team to ensure there are no conflicts of any nature between the firm's clients at the time of the check and the client or contact being checked.
Corporate Counsel
Our Corporate Counsel, namely Lisa Entwistle.
Costs on Account
Funds the client is required to deposit in our client account on account of fees or disbursements to be incurred.
Costs on Account Statement
A statement issued by Central Office detailing the amount of costs on account required.
CPD
Continuing Professional Development
DBA
Damages-Based Agreement - an agreement whereby our fees are fixed as a percentage of the damages the client receives.
Director
An employed Director of Keystone.
Director of Community and Engagement
The Keystone Director who works closely with our lawyers to foster referrals and relationships as well as promote the firm's culture, namely Fiona Severs.
Director of Growth and Development
The Keystone Director dealing with recruitment, community and internal referrals, namely Mark Machray.
Director of Marketing and Business Development
The Keystone Director dealing with marketing and communications, namely Kristina Oliver.
Director of Operations and Compliance
The Keystone Director dealing with operations and compliance, namely William Robins.
Disbursement Guarantee
The guarantee that Central Office provides in respect of out-of-pocket expenses.
Diversity and Inclusion Policy
The firm's mandatory policy in relation to equal opportunities, which you can view here.
Engagement Letter
The form of Engagement Letter used by the firm including our Terms of Engagement. Template Engagement Letters exist for CFAs, Employment (contentious), Employment (non-contentious), Property, and Litigation for general matters and to refresh' a matter.
Fee Guarantee
The limited guarantee that Central Office provides in respect of fees.
Fee Note
A bill from a service company to Keystone in relation to the services of a Keystone lawyer, as prepared on a lawyer's behalf by Central Office.
Final Invoice
The last Invoice in respect of a matter, after payment of which the matter is to be closed.
Finance Director
The Keystone Director dealing with finance, namely Ashley Miller.
Financial Controller
The Keystone manager dealing with finance, namely Alex Sayers.
General Counsel
Our General Counsel, namely Karen Scott.
Grace Period
The 14-day period that starts when a new client file is opened during which time lawyers may carry out limited legal advice without Central Office having obtained CDD.
Growth and Development Team
The team in Central Office whose job it is to manage internal referrals of work and spread the culture of the firm.
Head of Conveyancing Standards
The member of Central Office responsible for the Conveyancing Quality Scheme, namely Tracy Rosewarne.
Induction
The training on Keystone's systems that all lawyers joining the firm must undertake.
Internal Documents
Keystone's rules and procedures including Keyed-In and its contents and this Manual.
Introducer Fee
The fee paid to Client Owners for introducing the matter to the firm. The element of Keystone remuneration that is set aside to incentivise team working.
Invoice
A Keystone statutory invoice requesting payment from a client for services rendered.
Invoice Narrative
The form in Keyed-In completed by a Keystone lawyer (typically the Lead Lawyer or Client Owner) detailing the work done and the charges to be rendered.
Invoicing Team
The team in Central Office that deals with invoicing and credit control.
IT Team
The team of IT professionals working at Central Office the group email address IT@keystonelaw.co.uk
IT Technicians
A company of IT engineers who provide round-the-clock support to all Keystone lawyers on a retainer basis. The current incumbents are Nasstar.
IT Usage Policy
The firm's mandatory policy in relation to using the firm's IT, which you can view here.
Keyed-In
Keystone's intranet accessed through the web at www.keyed-in.net.
KeyNews
The firm's quarterly internal magazine.
Keynotes
The firm's external publications.
Knowledge Hub
The section of Keyed-In where all the details about the firm's administration and practice are accessible.
Lead Lawyer
An Acting Lawyer who manages and leads a particular matter, who may or may not be the Client Owner.
Marketing Team
The team in Central Office that deals with pitches, PR and marketing.
Matter Management
A section on Keyed-In that enables lawyers to undertake various administrative tasks in respect of client matters.
MLCO
Money Laundering Compliance Officer, namely William Robins
MLRO
Money Laundering Reporting Officer, namely Luke Haddon in the UK and Geoff Kermeen in the Isle of Man
New Client Form
The form in Keyed-In for setting up new clients, which you can view here.
New Matter Form
The form in Keyed-In used to set up a new matter, which you can view here.
Office Account
The pounds sterling denominated account used for the payment of and receipt of funds belonging to the firm.
Operating Manual/Manual
This Manual, being the guide for Keystone lawyers on matters of Keystone practice.
Opinion
The formal legal opinion of the firm as requested by a client, typically as to the efficacy of one or more document(s) or action(s) under English law.
Outsourcing Policy
The firm's mandatory policy in relation to outsourcing, which you can view here.
PEP
Politically exposed person
Periodic Retainer
A framework Engagement Letter designed to govern a series of smaller individual engagements.
Pod
The service company that engages one or more Keystone lawyers and provides their services to Keystone.
Pod Member
A member of the Pod who is not a Pod Principal.
Pod Principal
A person controlling the Pod, usually being the founder of and/or one of the owners of the Pod.
PR and Communications Manager
The manager dealing with incoming media enquiries and works with the lawyers to help them build their profile, namely Katie Tibbets.
Profile
The professional details of a Keystone lawyer as per Keyed-In and the Website.
Reception
Our receptionists at Central Office who can be contacted using the email address keystonereception@keystonelaw.co.uk.
Referrers
Third parties that refer new clients to the firm.
Refresher Engagement Letter
An Engagement Letter in short form that rehearses the main points of our instructions and allows for any changes to be noted.
Register of Undertaking
A register kept by Central Office which records all the active and discharged Bespoke Undertakings and Routine Undertakings that have been issued by Keystone lawyers.
Risk Questionnaire
A series of questions as part of setting up a new matter in Keyed-In and used to determine the matter risk for AML purposes.
Routine Undertaking
An undertaking given by a Keystone lawyer of the type routinely given by a lawyer to a third party without recourse to the client. In so far as a Routine Undertaking relates to the payment of money, the amount payable should not exceed £2,500 (ex VAT).
Self-Billing Agreement
An agreement between the firm and the relevant VAT-registered service company to permit the firm to prepare VAT invoices for such service company.
Senior Risk Lawyer
The Senior Risk Lawyer, namely Mark Healing.
Set up and Go
The service provided by the IT Team to procure you a laptop and peripherals at trade prices and tailored to your working style.
SRA
Solicitors Regulation Authority
Terms of Engagement
Keystone's terms of engagement attached to each Engagement Letter.
Tools
The section of Keyed-In where all the tools required by Keystone lawyers are accessible.
Tracker
The time-recording system, which you can view here.
Undertaking Request
A request by a Keystone lawyer in the required form seeking permission from the client to issue a Bespoke Undertaking, to be countersigned by the client.
Website
The website of the firm located at www.keystonelaw.com
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Keystone Law Operating Manual v4.1 20.11.25