Founded in the UK in 1973, Knowles was established to provide a combined technical and contractual assistance service to clients in all categories – employers, manufacturers, contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers etc. In 1979 Knowles began an expansion program, resulting in the opening of 10 offices across the UK by 1985. This expansion was achieved by the recruitment of specific individuals who built up teams in selected locations. The first overseas office, in Hong Kong, was opened in 1985, and from there the Far Eastern operations expanded into Singapore and Malaysia. From 1992, the group expanded into Western Europe and subsequently into the Middle East, North America and Australia.

In September 2006, the Knowles group was acquired by Hill International Inc. (NYSE: HIL), the US global construction and project management company founded by Irvin Richter in 1976. Together, their combined resources of over 2,500 professionals in 90 offices across 5 continents form the world’s largest construction claims consultancy.