For a man who has made ignoring industry convention and irritating large chunks of his own profession hallmarks of his career, it’s fitting that Nigel Knowles should get half the City spluttering over their cornflakes with news of his knighthood.
The veteran DLA Piper chief joins a hyper-select band of solicitors to have received the honour; the last commercial ‘name’ to get the nod was ex-Linklaters partner Robert Finch in 2005 for City grandee duties. But Knowles’ elevation while still a full-time participant in the profession is so rare that the Cabinet Office couldn’t find another example of such an appointment for a commercial solicitor.
