Harbottle & Lewis LLP > London, England > Firm Profile

‘The key point for me is the focus of the firm on the media sector, specifically film and TV. Also meaning that we can rely on lawyers at the firm with specialties other than commercial film and TV work providing advice through the lens of our sector.’

‘Hannah Wylie brings a wealth of experience in the sector and – having worked in senior in-house roles in both a US Studio environment and for a high-profile UK independent television production company – is able to quickly understand and deliver what we need in the way we need it. Hannah is commercially minded, pragmatic and always very responsive.’

‘The media team has worked with me across a range of companies and projects for many years. They always maintain the highest of standards and their advice is genuinely second to none. They have in-depth and up-to-date knowledge of the industry and consistently contribute to the businesses in a positive and supportive way. I cannot recommend them highly enough.’

‘Sarah Lazarides is a joy to work with. Her knowledge of the industry and her ability to communicate often complex issues in simple commercial terms is remarkable. She continues to be my lawyer-of-choice for all matters relating to TV finance and production – a superb lawyer.’

‘Harbottle & Lewis has some clear and obvious strengths in the film and TV industry, with a depth of both knowledge and skill applying this knowledge. The team is open, collaborative and not afraid to make suggestions or to seek answers when they may not know the answer themselves.’

‘Professional, friendly, flexible and impactful. I deal mainly with Hannah Wylie who – in addition to her outstanding knowledge and ability – also brings warmth, humour and enjoyment to sometimes tricky and often fraught legal dilemmas.’

‘They are experts in multiple fields without spreading themselves too thin.’

‘Unflappable, clear and able to see the big picture.’

‘One of the leading legal teams working in the theatre industry. Their expertise and knowledge is second to none. They are quick to respond, with great insight and clear thought and procedure put into their guidance, which is trustworthy and based on diligent research.’

‘They have a passion for the industry and are highly sought after. The team is collaborative, and seeks not only to help their clients achieve their aims, but take time to fully understand what the client hopes to achieve.’

‘I’d recommend Harry Bresslaw to anyone working in the industry, whether from a producing perspective or otherwise. I value and appreciate his responsiveness, honesty, and understanding of what a producer aims to achieve. He is personable, and very easy to collaborate with. He makes suggestions from a position of knowledge, research and authority on the subject matter, but always seeks to understand what the producer wants and allows that to be the driver of the conversation with others. ’

‘Shireen Peermohamed is an excellent client partner and Zoey Forbes’ technical ability on film and TV contracts is also excellent.’

‘Big team, at the top of their game, hugely experienced and expert.’

‘Gerard Tyrrell is a very able operator, as is John Kelly.’

‘All so professional and quick to revert back to you.’

‘Gerrard Tyrrell is easily the best media lawyer in the UK. His understanding of media law is second to none.’

‘John Kelly and his team have a fantastic reputation, get great work and deliver excellent results.’

‘John Kelly has worked in this sector for many years and has developed great instincts.’

‘One of the top firms offering claimant support in the reputation space. A great team.’

‘Gerrard Tyrell is exceptional. Extremely knowledgeable and loved by his clients.’

‘Tim Parker and Ed Lane show excellent attention to detail in agreeing corporate transaction terms, and we felt very much as though the team were working in our interests. They displayed appropriate levels of technical knowledge, especially with regard to issues such as drag rights.’

‘Working with this practice is easy. They have great people and good client focus.’

‘Nothing is too much trouble for Tony Littner and Tom Macleod. Their standout strength is bringing pragmatic and commercial solutions to our matters so that we achieve our strategic aims. ’

‘Colin Howes is my absolute first port of call for M&A. He’s the person I make contact with as soon as there’s an inkling of a deal. He’s massively experienced, super-smart, very flexible, and has a genuine understanding of the ‘art’ as well as the ‘science’ of the deal.’

‘Harbottle & Lewis, under the leadership of Charles Leveque, along with associates Alex Gays and Emily Miles, showcased exemplary prowess in corporate and M&A realms. Our collaboration with them was nothing short of exceptional.’

‘Charles Leveque brings a wealth of experience to the table, particularly in corporate and M&A domains. Renowned for his astuteness and seasoned expertise, he navigates operations with finesse. Not only is he adept in his field, but his polite demeanour and unwavering professionalism elevate every interaction.’

‘Charlie Levesque is rigorous but also very pragmatic and constructive in his approach. He represented us on our most recent deal and, despite the small size of the transaction, I can sincerely say that I was served with the same or greater attention, responsiveness, and expertise as I would have expected on a large deal.’

‘Charlie Levesque and Alex Gays were extraordinary. Charlie and Alex stand out amongst all counsels we have used internationally. Their thoroughness was key in facilitating a fair deal for us. Their availability made me feel respected and in trusted hands at all points during the deal process.’

‘Harbottle and Lewis has a well-deserved excellent reputation for quickly assessing the issues and advising on likely outcomes and strategies. They keep clients well informed.’

‘Howard Hymanson gave a highly personalised service. He provided a thought-out strategy to achieve the best outcome.’

‘Very committed – Howard did my case whilst on holiday! Empathetic, honest and direct.’

‘Marian Derham was very effective and efficient, and able to digest a large amount of background case information (often technical) and identify and extract all the pertinent details to make the best of the case. She was always focused on how to achieve the best outcome and adapted accordingly. She was very easy to work with and explore options with, and at what was sometimes an emotionally charged time she provided excellent support and guidance that only someone very experienced could do so well and convincingly.’

‘Marian Derham’s confident manner together with her deep understanding of my case made her a formidable advocate when acting on my behalf in negotiations. Her availability was excellent, and she was always incredibly responsive (often outside of working hours and weekdays). I would highly recommend her to others.’

‘Harbottle & Lewis have a well-established practice, which focuses on exceptional client service and in-depth knowledge of the law.’

‘Sarah Gogan is an exceptional practitioner who provides extraordinary client service. She is all over the public law space, and fights passionately for her client’s interests.’

‘Sarah Gogan is exceptional – commercial; knowledgeable; immensely responsive; clever; and a leader.’

‘The H&L team is a pleasure to work with, extremely competent and professional, and knowledgeable of our sector. Liaising with different members of the team on the same issues has been seamless.’

‘The team can look at both charities and private client issues. May Delaney is bright, thinks outside the box, commercial and hard working.’

‘Through years of service with us, the team has got to know our business well and understand the need of the business and of the key decision makers. Key capabilities on grant contracts, property management, employment, charities, and organisational change.’

‘Good communication skills when seeking and responding to clarifications and delivering written responses. Able to work within reasonably quick turn-around timeframes.’

‘Matthew Stephenson is great to work with. He is excellent at explaining legal technicalities to someone who is not an expert and is timely and prompt in all his dealings.’

‘Huge, relevant knowledge base and sensitivity to client needs. Cost effective delivery to suit our needs as a voluntary sector organisation.’

‘Strongly committed to understanding our needs and developing excellent briefs. Katerina Capras and Colin Howes are top drawer.’

‘Harbottle & Lewis are the perfect example of what a boutique specialist London family law firm can offer. Their partners are universally very good and their associates are brilliant. They deserve in my view to be ranked up there with the top firms in the country.’

‘Lidia Cantele is a brilliant partner; really bright, on the ball and gives measured advice behind the scenes, but is willing to fight if needed.’

‘Catherine Bedford is a remarkably efficient, caring and ferocious lawyer. The combination of her skills makes her extremely successful in her approach to client facing situations and cases. I would highly recommend her.’

‘Harbottle & Lewis LLP is a dedicated, diligent and determined team of family lawyers which provided a bespoke and impeccable personal service.’

‘Mark Irving and Nicholas Westley are exceptionally talented young lawyers with a huge appetite for work and success.’

‘Harbottle & Lewis are involved in many of the most high-profile, high-value and controversial cases, and offer a Rolls-Royce service to their clients.’

‘Lidia Cantele brings sophisticated and subtle insight to cases courtrooms, and clients.’

‘Mark Irving is a top lawyer, very clever. Calm demeanour but a fighter underneath it all, fiercely representing his clients. Great knowledge of his specialist area.’

‘Extremely commercial and knowledgeable with clear and focused advice.’

‘Sacha Wilson is great to work with and really understands the business and what you want. He goes above and beyond for his clients.’

‘Sacha is very knowledgeable and just easy to work with – he knows what we are looking for as an in-house legal team. He is also always prompt which means we can rely on him even in last-minute cases where urgent advice is needed. There is a good trust basis that has built up over time.’

‘Best-in-class advice, with a commercial lens and focus on enabling commercial objectives. Advice is timely, proportionate and on point.’

‘Sacha Wilson and his team are committed to being a genuine extension of a business’s in-house function.’

‘Quick and responsive when you need them to be. Great knowledge of the industry allows us to get to contract resolution quickly.’

‘One can take for granted their knowledge and expertise but what sets them apart is their interest in your business. They’re open to discussion and always considers their advice in relation to your situation. ’

‘Sacha Wilson in an outstanding partner.’

‘This team is thoughtful, knowledgeable, calm and responsive.’

‘Excellent understanding of the practicalities of litigation on every level, from the ultimate strategic picture to the most technical, tactical details. A really excellent litigation group.’

‘They deeply understand the complexities of litigation, not just in legal terms, but the practical implications, especially in relation to cost benefits.’

‘Sandi Simons – totally devoted to her cases, the law, facts and big picture.’

‘Sandi Simons is very proactive and quick to follow up on ideas. A strong media background enables her to get to grips with novel IP scenarios.’

‘Louis Castellani is a very shrewd senior litigator and Matthew Leverton is an exceptional partner.’

‘Lizzie Williams is the best commercial litigator around. She’s wonderfully easy to work with – clear, patient and eloquent in speech and writing.’

‘Lizzie Williams and Georgina King are both very experienced practitioners, with judgement and professional profiles far ahead of their seniority.’

‘Chris Moorcroft is an extraordinary international tax attorney working very closely with HNWI and their families. He is just as good as it gets and raising the bar over and over.’

‘The team has been put together in a strategic manner and in such a way as to cover all aspects of private client work including immigration aspects of international clients. They have outstanding technical abilities.’

‘A key strength is their ability to face difficult tax and trust matters head on and in a constructive manner. They do not sidestep difficulties.’

‘Siena Gold – outstanding technical and practical lawyer. Maturity of mind and judgement is outstanding. Chris Moorcroft – loved by clients and very sharp.’

‘Zoe Camp – excellent at US-UK work and a delightful personality. Alexa Collis – excellent lawyer for US-UK clients.’

‘The team has very specialist knowledge and is able to draw on many areas of technical expertise. There is good collaboration between team members and transparency with billing. Siena Gold has extremely good technical skills and is very approachable and responsive.’

‘This is a relatively small firm with a strong practice and an international sensitivity. Jonathan Burt and Alasdair Wilson are easy to work with and experienced.’

‘Siena Gold is a brilliant tax and trusts lawyer. Her technical knowledge and experience is enviable, which she combines with a personable, understated and measured approach.’

‘Harbottle’s real estate team is very easy to work with, they are proactive, commercial and have excellent attention to deal.’

‘We have been working with Melanie Benson on real estate matters for more than 10 years and have always been delighted with the level of service received.’

‘Caroline Roberjot – The best property lawyer I have ever worked with! She has never let me down, she is extremely diligent and pro active and really cares about her clients.’ 

‘Melanie Benson – An excellent property lawyer. Extremely capable, experienced and a great person to work with.’

‘Sarah Cubacub is a pleasure to work with. Her outstanding service, empathetic approach to client management and attention to detail makes her outshine her competition.’

‘Caroline Roberjot is an excellent property lawyer- calm, capable, efficient & Incredibly hardworking …. Always goes the extra mile to expediate transactions where possible and always maintaining the highest standards.’ 

‘Always efficient and professional. The complications and difficulties of some cases are kept calmly in control and managed with professionalism and expertise. Caroline Roberjot is second to none the best solicitor for conveyancing you can work with. ’

‘Caroline Roberjot makes the whole sale from beginning to end as stress free as possible, only informing us of problems that we need to be aware of. Her proactiveness in getting the sale/purchase through is very welcome and her professionalism shines through throughout the whole process ’

‘Personal service – the team are extremely good at the personal service side of the business and when dealing with UHNW individuals this is key. Everything including realistic timescales are set from the start which give clarity and reassurance to clients.’ 

‘Caroline Roberjot and the team are fantastic! They are clear, concise and always open and transparent. Putting the client at the heart of what they do. My go-to property lawyers!!’

‘The team is thorough in providing you with options for a positive outcome. They make themselves available to you to ensure that they’re on top of communication and updates with information. It’s been helpful to know that the other companies we work with have an already established relationship with partners at Harbottle & Lewis.’

‘They’re invested in ensuring that the work they do is carried out efficiently. The team that I work with on current matters have a one-step ahead approach to their work, which I really appreciate.’

‘The breadth of knowledge but also the availability of the practice makes H&L unique for me.’

‘Great industry knowledge and client service.’

‘They have rich experience and deep knowledge across different industrial areas. Their excellent work and efficient handling of our cases impressed us a lot. Their team has deep knowledge of different industrial areas and understands very well what we want and can always help us fulfil our aim.’

‘They are highly responsive and very knowledgeable. They understand our business needs and the service we provide to customers, which adds incredible value. We are happy to have them take care of our cases.’

‘Shireen Peermohamed is an exceptional lawyer and strategist, who always provides her advice through a commercial and practical lens. We appreciate her efforts and help very much.’

‘Kostyantyn Lobov’s advice is thorough, practical, and always directly on point. His friendly and approachable manner helps us work together to find creative solutions.’

‘They are creative in understanding our contractual needs, not just with our client cases, but with our own templates and standards. They think deeply about both legal and commercial risks for us and provide considered advice on routes.’

‘They are calm and patient and provide professional advice no matter what mess we’re in. They are highly responsive, thoughtful, and friendly.’

‘Harbottle and Lewis’ team are engaged and focused on supporting us, what we as a client love is that they really care. Their advice draws on their experience from the wider market and other deals, this means we can discuss options or handlings and make decisions quickly.’

‘Collaborative, cross-functional, and fully client-focused.’

‘We work with Emma Wright and Agatha Claridge. For us. they all stand out because they understand what we’re trying to do and are very responsive when things crop up.’

‘Agatha Claridge is exemplary of the fantastic and consistent service they provide. She listens, understands, and then offers her advice which is always spot on; and then we go a different route, she reconsiders with total professionalism and advice. She has great humour, patience, and is a pleasure to work with.’

‘When we have challenging supplier contract negotiations, we know we can rely on Emma Wright and Agatha Claridge to remain focused and deal with each point. Our team enjoys working their team and this is down to them as individuals.’

‘Sarah Gogan is worldy-wise and hard working. She thinks outside the box and knows how to get the best results for her clients. A future leader of the field and has integrity.’

‘They are humble, highly expert and creative in an area fraught with random risks and pointless discussion. They provide wise counsel on what to really worry about not just in the deep legal sense – they consider all aspects of our context, such as business operations. They are highly responsive, thoughtful and friendly. A pleasure to work with.’

‘Incredibly knowledgeable in the AI space.’

‘I always appreciate how commercial Harbottle is.’

‘Harbottle & Lewis stands out for their clear understanding of fintech complexity and commitment to innovation. The team’s collaborative spirit and technological fluency make them a valued legal partner.’

‘The individuals at Harbottle & Lewis are commendable for their expertise and personable service. Their guidance is always pragmatic and reflective of a deep understanding of the fintech sector. I enjoyed the kind manner of the people I worked with.’

‘The team have an in depth knowledge of the niche theatre industry. Marian and her team provide clear, concise and relevant advice at speed.’

‘Harbottle & Lewis are extremely efficient, knowledgeable and professional. Marian Derham has been amazing in her advice and support to us over the years. So knowledgeable, efficient, and valuable in her support of employment issues.’

‘Howard Hymanson always displays a steady hand on the tiller. He is a pleasure to deal with and a skilled tactician.’

‘Extremely knowledgeable and responsive, great client relationship management, timely advice that is considered and practical.’

‘Sarah Verrecchia is able to build excellent relationships with clients from the immediate start of an instruction (or before in exploratory calls). Clients trust Sarah implicitly, and she is able to give full and expert advice with diplomacy and tact to individuals at any level of an organisation.’ 

‘Mariam Derham is very knowledgeable and professional. Results-driven. Reassuring when working on sensitive matters. Big-picture vision on outcomes.’

‘Mark Primrose is super personable, able to understand our unique/complex employment situations, and provide us with sound advice. He has also been so quick in responding to anything urgent we send through and help us draft up email replies and documents to people.’

‘Sarah Verrecchia gave great advice in a timely manner and was able to understand our needs straight away.’

‘They are humble and yet highly expert across so many jurisdictions! It’s incredible. They are thoughtful and clear about what they need from us to manage our sprawling organisation and always find an appropriate, simple-as-possible way to protect us.’

‘They’re thoughtful, friendly and a pleasure to work with.’

‘The team have a deep understanding of the adtech industry which has made them an invaluable partner. In addition, they provide practical and balanced advice.’

‘Sacha Wilson and Anita Bapat provide practical and insightful advice on a multitude of matters. They are responsive, conscious of the practical implications of their advice and always eager to find a solution.’

‘First class subject matter expertise and excellent application to our industry, business and products.’

‘Anita Bapat has worked alongside us on key items in a very sensitive and high-risk area for our business (data privacy).’