Mark Needham
Partner
Mark is a partner of Hannaford Turner and the co-Head of the Superyacht and Luxury Asset Group.
He is widely recognised as one of the leading global advisers on legal matters involving superyachts, private jets and other ultra‑high‑value luxury assets, offering a comprehensive practice within these specialist areas.
Mark acts for an international client base comprising many of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs, high net worth individuals, business families and private family offices, as well as shipyards, managers and industry participants across the superyacht and ultra‑luxury sectors. He has led newbuild projects for some of the largest and most complex superyachts constructed (and under construction) to date, and has personally acted for buyers and sellers on yacht sale and purchase transactions with a cumulative value exceeding €1.5bn.
Superyachts
Mark has been consistently ranked as a global leader in the field of Superyachts in the Chambers and Partners High Net Worth Guides (2017 – 2026) with clients commending his commercial approach, deep industry knowledge and ability to drive complex transactions to completion:
- “A superb transactional lawyer with heaps of experience in large yacht construction and sale and purchase.”
- “Characterised by an outstanding work ethic.”
- “Very good at dealing with all different types of situations.”
- “Super commercial. He actually comes up with solutions, he is creative but in the best possible way”
- “Mark truly understands sales and purchases and the meaning of closing a deal. He works tirelessly for the client and is so detailed in his approach. He really is at the top of his game and is the first person I call.”
- “Mark is a delight to work with. He is pragmatic, commercial and very approachable.”
He is the co‑author of the Superyacht Ownership chapter in the Private Wealth and Private Client Review and a member of the Royal Thames Yacht Club in London.
Private Jets / Aviation
In the aviation sector, Mark advises on the sale, purchase and ownership of private jets, helicopters and aviation engines across multiple jurisdictions. He maintains strong working relationships with leading aircraft auditors, inspectors, corporate service providers and aircraft warehousing specialists.
Luxury Assets & Special Situations
Beyond yachts and aircraft, Mark helps his clients with the wide spectrum of agreements and unique situations that accompany the ownership and enjoyment of luxury assets. His experience in this area is driven by the diverse ambitions and activities of his clients and sometimes involves unusual or bespoke arrangements that require a blend of creativity, commercial judgment, discretion and legal rigour. This has included everything from negotiating private island rental agreements to advising on mandates with agents to source major sports clubs for acquisition..
- • YACHT CONSTRUCTION •
- Mark is extremely active in the newbuild yacht market and acts for both purchasers of newbuild yachts and leading shipyards. His experience includes negotiating construction agreements for a substantial portfolio of projects for one of Europe’s largest superyacht builders, including the following:
- • 130m, 11,000 GT newbuild motor yacht
- • 127m, 3,493 GT newbuild sailing yacht
- • 111m, 4,550 GT newbuild motor yacht
- • 109m, 4,444 GT newbuild motor yacht
- • 80m, 2,600 GT newbuild motor yacht
- • 105m, 3,521 GT motor yacht -major rebuild and extension project
- • 71m, 1636 GT motor yacht – refit
- Mark regularly acts for purchasers of newbuild motor yachts. Recent examples of Mark’s work include:
- • Acted for the purchaser of a 139m, 11,000+GT, newbuild motor yacht constructed in Germany
- • Acted for the purchaser of a 91m, 2600GT, newbuild Feadship (RVL) motor yacht
- • Acted for the purchaser of an 80m, 2999GT, newbuild Feadship (RVL) motor yacht
- • Acted for the purchaser of a 74m, 1,790GT, Amels newbuild motor yacht
- • Acted for the purchaser of a 61m, 1,280GT, Tankoa newbuild motor yacht
- • Acted for the purchaser of a 60m, 1080GT, Benetti Oasis newbuild motor yacht
- • Acted for the purchaser of a 60m, 830GT, Amels newbuild motor yacht
- • Acted for the purchaser of a 55m, 760GT, Heesen (steel) newbuild motor yacht
- • Acted for the purchaser of a 50m, 499GT, Heesen newbuild motor yacht
- • Acted for the purchaser of a 45m, 495GT, Conrad newbuild motor yacht
- • Acted for the purchaser of a 40m, 495GT, Admiral newbuild motor yacht
- • Acted for the purchaser of a 37m, 400GT, Benetti B Yond newbuild motor yacht
- • YACHT SALE & PURCHASE •
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 100+ metre, Lurssen, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 77 metre, Feadship, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 74 metre, Silver Yachts, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 65 metre, Balk, sailing yacht
- • Acted for the Seller of a 65 metre, ISA, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Seller of a 62 metre, Amels, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Seller of a 60 metre, Amels, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 58.4 metre, Alloy, sailing yacht
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 58 metre, Turkish built, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 57 metre, San Lorenzo, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Seller of a 55 metre, Lurssen, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 55 metre, Damen Yachting, Support Yacht
- • Acted for the Seller of a 55 metre, Amels, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 55 metre, Feadship, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Seller of a 55 metre, Oceanfast, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Seller of a 55 metre, Feadship, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Seller of a 54.3 metre, Amels, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 53.25 metre, Damen Yachting, Support Vessel
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 51.7 metre, Alloy, sailing yacht
- • Acted for the Buyer on the acquisition of a 49.7 metre, Feadship, motor yacht and on its subsequent sale
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 47 metre, Admiral, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Seller of a 46.63 metre, Swiftships, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 46.3 metre, Lurssen, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 46 metre, Baglietto, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Seller of a 45.15 metre, Broward Marine, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 44.47 metre, Mangusta, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 42.6 metre, CRN, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 41 metre, Benetti, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Seller of a 40 metre, Mangusta, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Seller of a 38.04 metre, Custom Line, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 38 metre, Ocean Pacifico, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Seller of a 37 metre, Gdansk & Jaroslaw Filipiak, sailing yacht
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 36.57 metre, Palmer Johnson, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 36.5 metre, San Lorenzo, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Buyer on the acqusition of a 36.1 metre, Iance, motor yacht and later on the sale of the Yacht
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 33.9 metre, Moonen, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 28.63 metre, Sunreef, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Seller of a 28.5 metre, Su Marine, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Buyer of a 24.38 metre, Sunreef, motor yacht
- • Acted for the Seller of a 28 metre, Nordhavn, motor yacht
- • AIRCRAFT SALE & PURCHASE •
- • Acted for the Buyer of a new Bombardier Global 7500
- • Acted for the Buyer of a Bombardier Global 6500
- • Acted for the Buyer of a new Bombardier Challenger 3500
- • Acted for the Seller of an Airbus EC155 Helicopter
- Acted for the Seller on the sale of a Bombardier Challenger 3500
- • Acted for the Buyer of a Bell B505 Helicopter
- • Acted for the Buyer of a new Agusta Westland 109SP Helicopter
- • Acted for the Seller of a Falcon 7x
- • YACHT FINANCE •
- • Acted for the owner/borrower in connection with a $50m loan issued by a leading private bank secured against a 70m+ Motor Yacht
- • Acted for the owner/borrower on the construction and post-delivery financing of a 37m Benetti motor yacht, including a €13m+ loan and mortgage facility, the release and replacement of construction-period security and a multi-jurisdictional security package.
- • Acted for the owner/borrower in connection with a €5m+ loan issued by a prominent UK finance house secured against a 30m San Lorenzo motor yacht