What do Paddington, Fremantle and an Oscar-nominated film all have in common? They all turned to Lee & Thompson’s Reno Antoniades for their legal advice. The long serving managing partner also leads the firm’s film and TV group – the UK’s largest legal team working in the audio-visual sector.
After training at Herbert Smith Freehills, Antoniades moved to Olswang where he first entered the film industry. His career has really been dedicated to Lee & Thompson, however, with 2024 marking his 30th year at the boutique practice. As managing partner, he has overseen the firm’s impressive growth in recent years, part of a longer-term strategy to expand the media and entertainment firm into new areas like tech, sports and leisure. The firm has long been well known in the performing arts industry, with clients like Harry Styles, the Beckhams and Queen, but like many such firms, it has remained relatively small.
However Antoniades has overseen revenue growth of 40 per cent over the past five years, with profit up 18 per cent last year.
Antoniades’ 2023 wasn’t all about the law either, working as an executive producer on the Golden Globe and Oscar nominated film Zone of Interest, something he describes as a career highlight.