Ben Santamaria

What do you do for your clients ?

T: 07408847430

E: ben.santamaria@arbor.law

Find me on LinkedIn

I am a dual qualified senior solicitor (UK and Australia), with a broad range of in-house experience, ranging from the London Olympic organising committee, to a government sporting agency to more recently looking after UHNWI and their luxury assets.

What are your legal specialities?

Having qualified in Australia in 2006, I spent the subsequent five years in private practice – general commercial in Australia and commercial real estate in the UK before moving in-house.

I am a generalist, advising private clients (UHNWI and their family offices, entrepreneurs, start-ups and SMEs) on their day-to-day commercial legal needs – from commercial negotiations (such as consultant appointments, service agreements), to corporate governance support, to luxury asset acquisition and disposal to general commercial real estate queries, leveraging the specialist expertise of colleagues within Arbor on complex transactions for the benefit of my clients.

What do clients say?

I am approachable. I understand my client’s ultimate goals and how to achieve them, be that a pragmatic middle ground with their counterparty, or a tougher stance when the clients’ interests or reputation need firmer protection. My breadth of experience allows me a wide range of solutions for my clients, as well as understanding when they need the more specialised expertise of colleagues at Arbor Law.

Behind the lawyer

I have four young children – spare time in the winter is generally spent ferrying them around various sporting fixtures, whilst in the Summer more time is spent on the Thames on a paddleboard, or by its banks on a padel court.

Before Arbor

  • 2006 – 2011 Private practice Australia and London
  • 2011 – 2013 In-house solicitor at LOCOG
  • 2013 – 2018 Senior in-house solicitor at Sport England
  • 2018 – 2022 Legal counsel at prominent single family office, London
  • 2022 onwards Owner of Tyburn Partners (family office advisors to UHNWI)

Education 

  • BA/LLB – Monash University, Australia
  • Admission – Supreme Court of Victoria, Australia (March 2006)
    • Senior Courts, England & Wales (December 2010)