Knights has continued the expansion of its Leeds commercial team with the appointment of experienced technology and outsourcing specialist, James Ruane as Partner.
Having spent almost 18 years at Eversheds Sutherland, James has built a specialist practice focused on technology contracts, outsourcing arrangements and digital transformation projects. He advises businesses on strategic outsourcing and the procurement and implementation of technology solutions, helping clients navigate complex contractual arrangements with outsourcing suppliers, cloud services providers and technology vendors.
As businesses become increasingly reliant on technology, data and outsourced services, demand for specialist advice in these areas continues to increase; his appointment adds dedicated expertise in technology and outsourcing contracts to an expanding team of commercial specialists.
James’ appointment is one of several senior appointments to the Leeds team in the last year, as the firm continues to invest in building a market-leading offering for businesses across Yorkshire and beyond.
He joins an established group of specialists at Knights that advise on commercial, competition, construction, real estate, planning and dispute resolution matters.
Commenting on his appointment, James said, “One of the things that stood out to me about Knights was the opportunity to join a growing team with a clear commitment to Leeds.
"The firm has built an impressive team with a broad range of complementary expertise, and that's an incredibly attractive proposition both for lawyers and for clients.
There is a real energy around the business and a genuine willingness to work collaboratively across offices and disciplines. I'm looking forward to helping continue the growth of the Commercial team and supporting clients across Yorkshire and beyond."
Tom Kershaw, Leeds Client Services Director, added, "Businesses are increasingly reliant on technology suppliers, outsourced services and digital infrastructure, making specialist advice in this area more important than ever. James brings exactly that expertise.
His appointment broadens the capability of our Commercial team and is another important step in the continued growth of our Leeds practice. We're bringing together specialists with genuinely complementary skillsets, enabling us to support clients across an increasingly wide range of commercial challenges."
James' appointment further strengthens Knights' Commercial team in Leeds and reflects the firm's continued investment in experienced professionals who bring deep sector expertise and real value to clients.