Matthew Pohlman

Matthew Pohlman

PartnerCo-Chair, Hospitality & Leisure
Matthew Pohlman
London
+44 (0)20 7447 4866

Matthew Pohlman is co-chair of Goodwin’s Hospitality & Leisure practice and a partner in the firm’s Global Real Estate Industry group. Matthew represents a wide range of sophisticated stakeholders in the financing, acquisition, disposition, development and management of hotels, resorts and other operational real estate assets around the world.

Based in London since 2007, Matthew has advised clients on complex, high-value real estate transactions in over 35 countries, spanning the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas. His clients include real estate private equity firms, hotel owner/operators, institutional real estate investors, hotel operators, hotel owners, and ultra high-net worth individuals. He regularly navigates clients through cross-border and multi-jurisdictional transactions and the challenges and complexities presented by diverse legal systems, cultures, and conventions. Matthew is chair of the London Pro-Bono Committee and a member of the firm’s Pro-Bono Committee.

Matthew is a member of the ULI Hotel, Destinations, and Resorts Council and frequently attends and speaks at major hotel conferences and other industry events around the world.

Experience

His recent representations include advising:

  • A global private equity firm in the formation of a joint-venture to indirectly own a portfolio of hotels in Italy which also included the negotiation of hotel management agreements and franchise agreements across the portfolio
  • Various global hotel operators with respect to corporate matters, co-investments, management agreements for hotels, resorts, branded residential, serviced apartments, and other hospitality related assets as well as the underlying governance documents for the mixed-use projects
  • Various stakeholders in the structuring and implementation of governance structures for complex, mixed-use hospitality projects across the EMEA region
  • An international private equity firm in the formation of a platform joint-venture, together with the acquisition, debt financing, and third-party management arrangements for a mixed-use hospitality development in Dublin, Ireland
  • A private equity firm on a range of real estate, financing and management arrangements in connection with a complex mixed-use real estate development that includes a hotel, branded residential, unbranded residential, two world-class golf courses, an equestrian facility and other leisure facilities, located in the Loire Valley, France
  • A global private equity firm in the negotiation of hotel management agreements in connection with debt-equity financing of luxury hotels located in Rome and Venice, Italy
  • An international hotel owner-operator in the development, financing and management of a luxury hotel in Florence, Italy
  • A UK-based hotel-owner-operator in the development, financing, and management of a lifestyle hotel in London, England
  • A global hotel operator on the sale and management-back of a luxury hotel in Hamburg, Germany
  • An ultra-high net worth family in the sale of a controlling interest in the Banyan Tree Seychelles Resort
  • A European-based private equity firm in various debt-equity financing, acquisition, and recapitalization transactions involving various types of operational real estate assets, including student housing, social housing, hotels, single-family residential projects in Spain, the United Kingdom, and France
  • Hotel owners and operators in the negotiation of subordination and non-disturbance agreements with lenders in connection with acquisition, development, and permanent financings for hotel, resort, branded residential and other operational real estate projects across the EMEA region

Credentials

Education

JD

Boston University School of Law

(cum laude)

MBA

Boston University School of Management

(honors)

BA

University of Washington

(cum laude)

Admissions

Bars

  • Massachusetts
  • Washington
  • England and Wales (Reg. Foreign Lawyer)

Recognition & Awards

Matthew was recognized by Chambers UK 2023 in the Hotels & Leisure category, in which clients describe him as a “pleasure to work with” and a “true professional who can handle any complex situation with ease." Other client testimonials include:

  • "Matthew Pohlman – extremely prepared, well versed and diligent. Able to communicate complex ideas and concepts very effectively."
  • "Matt Pohlman is highly professional, very well experienced, and always makes himself available."
  • "We were extremely happy to have him in our corner. Given his depth of experience it was not surprising how smooth the whole process was and his direct communication style with the counterparty’s legal team, helped save time for everyone."

Publications

Publications include:

Speaking engagements include:

  • Panelist,  “Management Contract Debate and Dispute Resolution,” International Hotel Investment Forum in Berlin, Germany, March 2014
  • Moderator, “Ensuring Owner/Operator Alignment in the Business Relationship,” Hotel Investment Forum India in Delhi, India, January 2014
  • Co-Presenter for “Hotel Management Agreements,” Practicing Law Institute, July 2013
  • Panelist,  “Conversions, Renovations and Re-branding,” International Hotel Investment Forum, Berlin, Germany, March 2013
  • Moderator, “Maximizing Value in Hotel-Residential Developments,” International Hotel Investment Forum, Berlin, Germany, March 2012
  • Moderator, “Global Luxury Hotel Sector,” Americas Lodging Investment Summit, Los Angeles, California, January 2012