Coodes Solicitors welcomes commercial property specialist Melanie Henson as Partner

Coodes Solicitors is delighted to announce the appointment of highly experienced commercial property lawyer Melanie Henson as a Partner in its Commercial Property team.

Melanie brings with her a wealth of experience gained from leading City of London law firms and a longstanding role as senior in-house counsel for real estate at telecoms company O2 – bolstering Coodes’ offering in retail, landlord and tenant matters, commercial development and renewable energy projects.

Based primarily in the firm’s Liskeard office, Melanie’s arrival strengthens Coodes’ capacity across Cornwall, Plymouth and Devon. Her blend of private practice and in-house experience positions her to advise on complex commercial property matters, including development schemes of all sizes, high-profile retail acquisitions and renewable energy schemes.

Melanie joins Coodes from Baker Botts (UK) LLP (the London branch of American law firm, Baker Botts), where she gained significant experience in the real estate aspects of renewable energy developments, including site acquisition, leasing and the real estate side of project finance.

Prior to that, she served as senior counsel for real estate in house at O2, overseeing a nationwide property portfolio of offices, retail stores and mast sites. This included acting on the real estate aspect of O2’s network sharing deal with Vodafone and also on O2’s flagship naming rights deal for the former Millennium Dome.

Melanie trained at City of London law firm Dentons and was previously a partner in City of London firms Berwin Leighton Paisner and Charles Russell Speechlys. For many years she specialised in supermarket and retail development and also acted on the acquisition of landmark London buildings; for shopping centre owners (managing and selling shopping centre investments); and for retail, industrial and office park developers.

Jo Morgan, Partner and Head of Commercial Property at Coodes Solicitors, said: “We are delighted to welcome Melanie to the team. Her extensive expertise in retail, landlord and tenant, commercial development and renewables not only aligns closely with the needs of our existing client base but also significantly strengthens our ability to deliver on more complex, high-value transactions across the South West.

“Melanie’s wide-ranging experience adds to the already impressive technical abilities within our team and fits with our strategic goals to grow in specialist areas such as renewables and large-scale development.

“Her knowledge of the renewables sector is particularly valuable as it complements the work of our Rural Services team, whose clients are increasingly exploring land diversification and sustainable energy projects. We are excited about the opportunities her arrival presents, including the potential to expand our presence in the Plymouth market and beyond.”

Melanie has acted for leading names including Tesco, Sainsburys, Lidl and British Land, advising on conditional contracts, planning agreements, development agreements and complex lease structures.

Her work in the renewables sector includes acting for local and international operators on the acquisition and development of energy sites and battery storage facilities, often involving complex financing arrangements and land agreements.

Commenting on her new role, Melanie said: “I am very pleased to be joining Coodes at such an exciting time for the firm and the region. The South West presents real opportunities in the retail and commercial development sectors and is, of course, uniquely positioned – and ambitious – in its approach to renewables and clean energy. I am looking forward to working with clients across the region to help them realise the full potential of their projects and contribute to the continued growth of Coodes’ commercial property offering.”