India Benjamin

Senior Associate

India is a specialist corporate lawyer with significant experience advising on mergers and acquisitions, investments, joint ventures, complex structuring and re-structuring projects, and corporate governance. She has particular expertise working with a range of private businesses and corporates on ESG matters, and advising families and family businesses on transactional, structuring and governance issues. India is a regular speaker at conferences, both in the UK and overseas.

Family Businesses

India acts for family businesses and family offices, regularly advising on structuring and governance issues, succession and the transition of wealth, ownership and control across generations. India understands the unique dynamics of family businesses and provides tailored, sensitive and commercial advice to help ensure continued success and long-term stability. India works closely with the firm’s Private Client team to provide holistic and bespoke advice on estate planning and succession and governance matters, including when legal crises arise as a result of deteriorating mental or physical health or difficult relationships.

ESG

India works closely with all types of private businesses on ESG matters, including start-up and early-stage ventures, family businesses and established national and multi-national corporates. In particular, India advises on matters such as Board composition, culture and effectiveness, diversity and inclusion, cascading good governance, stakeholder engagement, introducing ESG policies and strategies, ESG due diligence on transactions, and compliance with corporate governance codes and ESG reporting legislation. India also assists clients with obtaining B Corp certification.

Sport

India is a key adviser to a range of high-profile sports clients, including national governing bodies, international federations, clubs and commercial sports organisations. She works on a range of corporate, commercial and governance matters in the sports sector, from drafting of constitutions and membership rules, structuring of major sporting events, governance overhauls and crises, and landmark transactions. India also has particular experience advising on the UK Sport/Sport England Code for Sports Governance.

Work highlights

Advised PGA European Tour on its entry into an historic strategic alliance with PGA TOUR in 2021, and the expansion and strengthening of that strategic alliance in 2022 by way of a ground-breaking 13-year operational joint venture partnership.

Advised on the formation of a new not-for-profit international sports federation, founded in response to persistent issues surrounding the incumbent governing body relating to financial management, governance, transparency and sporting integrity that had placed the sport’s future as an Olympic sport in doubt.

Acted for leading global ESG advisory firm Wallbrook on its merger with Anthesis, the sustainable performance activator and largest group of dedicated sustainability professionals globally, creating the most comprehensive full-service ESG offering in response to the shifting regulatory landscape and growing stakeholder expectations for a more sustainable future.

Acted for the founders of Response Global Media on the sale of the business to leading information and networking-events provider for global capital markets, PEI, substantially increasing PEI’s reach and influence in ESG, sustainability and impact investing.

Testimonials

India is noted as a “Key Lawyer” for both “M&A from £10m - £100m” and “Sport” by Legal 500.

“Richard Lane and India Benjamin were efficient, experienced, didn’t need things explaining twice, deeply understood and could articulate the client’s needs intimately – without any condescension. A pleasure to deal with.” (Legal 500 2024)

"India Benjamin is very responsive, thorough and extremely pleasant to deal with." (Legal 500 2023)

Memberships

India is an active member of AIJA (the International Association of Young Lawyers), regularly speaking on and moderating panel sessions on topics ranging from cross-border ESG regulations to acquiring and investing in football clubs.

India is also a member of Women in Sports Law, an international association of women specialising in sports law.

Publications

“Creating an ESG strategy for your school” – published in the Spring 2023 edition of the Independent Schools’ Bursars Association (ISBA) termly magazine, “The Bursar’s Review”.

“Preparation and anticipation – a guide for selling a school” – published in the Autumn 2021 edition of the Independent Schools’ Bursars Association (ISBA) termly magazine, “The Bursar’s Review”.