As the hotel industry shifts toward experience-led models — with
food, beverage, and lifestyle programming playing an increasingly central role
in competition and revenue generation – Helbraun
Levey, the country’s most
established restaurant law firm, today announced that Amber Asher, former CEO
of Standard International, the company behind iconic hotel brands The Standard
and Bunkhouse hotels, has joined as Partner and Chair to scale its hotel practice.
As major hotel groups increasingly absorb lifestyle and
independent brands, Asher identified a growing gap in the market: the need for
legal counsel shaped by real business and operating experience. The hotel
practice is designed to support operators, brands, owners, developers, and
investors launching and scaling their portfolios while navigating
consolidation, experience-driven growth, and increasingly complex partnerships.
The group will advise across hotel development and acquisitions, management and
licensing structures, joint ventures, franchising, branded residences,
mixed-use projects, and food-and-beverage partnerships, as well as related
corporate, employment, intellectual property, technology and day-to-day general
counsel matters.
“Just as hotels are no longer simply places to stay, food and
beverage can’t be treated as an afterthought; it’s central,” said David
Helbraun, Founder and Managing Partner of Helbraun Levey. “Amber has built
hospitality businesses from the inside. I’ve spent decades backing chefs and
operators as they grow. We both understand hospitality from the inside out —
the creativity, the pressure, the thin margins, and the constant challenge of
staying relevant and profitable, especially at scale. This partnership brings
that experience together at exactly the moment the industry demands it.”
Under Asher’s leadership, Standard International scaled from four
U.S. hotels into a global platform with 25 hotels across the world and a robust
international pipeline, achieving approximately 400% topline revenue increase
between 2019 and 2024, culminating in a landmark sale to Hyatt Hotels
Corporation for up to $335 million. Her career spans nearly 25 years, starting
as a real estate attorney at Latham & Watkins in New York City, to in-house
counsel roles at Morgans Hotel Group and André Balazs Properties, to eventually
spending the last 7 years leading Standard International as President and
CEO. With a deep understanding of hospitality from every angle and
through multiple cycles, Asher brings a holistic and strategic approach to
Helbraun Levey.
“While I never anticipated returning to a law firm, Helbraun Levey
is a special place, with a deep and authentic connection to the hospitality
industry. I’ve known David Helbraun for more than a decade and have watched him
build his practice with integrity, thoughtfulness, and genuine
care—representing many of the most compelling chefs and restaurant brands in
New York City and top U.S. markets. The firm is a true partner to its clients,
offering not only exceptional legal counsel but strategic guidance that helps
businesses grow and evolve,” said Asher. “I’ve always seen my greatest
strength as a dealmaker, counselor, strategist, and problem-solver—someone who
understands the business realities behind the legal work. As the hospitality
industry continues to consolidate and new brands emerge, this role allows me to
bring this strength to a challenging business, but one I deeply love,” she
added.
Founded in New York with an increasing footprint in Florida, Helbraun
Levey represents some of the country’s most influential restaurants and hotels,
widely recognized as the strategic one-stop-shop partner for hospitality
businesses navigating legal matters
