Melanie leads the Property Group and deals with all aspects of real estate specialising in high end residential for both resident and offshore clients. She acts for a number of well-known individuals and family offices, often working closely with the firm’s Private Capital and Reputation Protection teams.Melanie deals with Landlord and Tenant matters, acting mainly for occupiers in the retail and fashion/luxury brands, restaurants, cinema, theatre, media and digital/tech sectors. The matters are often complex involving multiple parties and commercial elements.She also Co-Heads the firm's Retail & Fashion Group where she advises clients on all aspects of their bricks and mortar property requirements from acquisitions of flagship stores to management of store portfolios country wide and including within centres and outlets such as Westfield and Bicester Village. She also acquires head office premises for retail/fashion and Tech clients and has assisted in major architecture designed fit outs of both retail and office premises.Her clients include LW Theatres/Really Useful Group, Gordon Ramsay. Victoria Beckham Limited, Roland Mouret, Wolford, Network Homes Ltd, Kobalt Music Group, Empire Holding/Arch Light Cinemas (at Battersea Power Station) and ultra-high net worth individuals.
England - London • Real estate
Harbottle & Lewis LLP
Harbottle & Lewis LLP regularly works with corporate occupiers in the hospitality, office and retail sectors. Praised as ‘extremely knowledgeable and pragmatic’, Melanie Benson leads the team and is adept in landlord and tenant mandates, while Leo Marino’s key strengths lie in ancillary leases, as well as business leases and renewals.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The collaboration was excellent. They had very good relationships with other suppliers we worked with and made the experience seamless.’
‘Melanie Benson was our primary contact and is extremely knowledgeable and pragmatic, excellent at communicating.’
Key clients
- Gordon Ramsay Restaurants
- Arch Light Cinemas Limited
- IMO Car Wash Group
- Second Place Limited
- Rockstar Games UK Limited
- Cleanland Limited
- Kobalt Music Group Limited
Work highlights
- Acted for Gordon Ramsay Restaurants on the acquisition of a large number of premises throughout 2022.
- Acted for IMO Car Wash Group in connection with the management of its extensive portfolio of operating sites across England and Wales.
- Advised Arch Light Cinemas Limited in connection with the acquisition of a premises for a new luxury, state-of-the art cinema in the Battersea Power Station development.
Lawyers
Leading individuals
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Melanie Benson