Overview

As the sport industry grows and becomes increasingly commercial, it faces new and difficult challenges. Our sports lawyers have acted for clients in the sector for over 20 years, and are renowned for working on complex groundbreaking cases.

By combining deep industry insight and legal expertise from across the firm, our sports lawyers deliver a complete service tailored to the needs of our clients. We have established a reputation for winning high profile cases, working with world leading international federations, sports clubs and individuals.

Our team of sports law specialists is led by partner Jeremy Dickerson, who is recognised as a star individual by Chambers and an expert in anti-doping, sports litigation and sponsorship matters.

Our sports lawyers are also active in shaping the industry, having worked on some of the leading cases involving sport regulation, from financial fair play to anti-doping.

Areas of focus

Our sports law expertise includes the following:

  • Regulation, governance and anti-doping.
  • Brand management and rights protection.
  • Commercial agreements.
  • Stadia, licensing, policing and event organisation.
Experience

Acted for The Football League in a financial fair play case against Watford AFC and Mr Bassini (2013). As a result, Watford were prohibited from signing new players in the transfer window closing on 31 August 2013 and Mr Bassini was banned from all involvement in football for three years.

Successfully acted for The Football League in investigating and prosecuting Reading FC in connection with a breach of Football League Regulations on financial investment in clubs and prohibition of dual interests.

Acted for Leeds United FC in a test case against West Yorkshire Police in relation to police financial charges for match day policing at Elland Road (2013). We successfully established before the Court of Appeal that the manner of charging for policing adopted by West Yorkshire Police was illegal and the club was entitled to a refund.

Acted for The Saudi Equestrian Federation (2012) in relation to the eligibility of their team for competition in the 2012 Olympic games. We were successful in establishing their eligibility and the team won an Olympic bronze medal.

Advising The Premier League and Racecourse Association (2013) in relation to the proposed Home Office Consultation on extending the Police's ability to charge for policing public events.

Acted for Gunn & Moore in its sponsorship of international cricket players, including Marcus Trescothick, Michael Vaughan, Herschelle Gibbs, Stephen Fleming and Stuart Broad.

Acted for The Racecourse Association in defending a £360 million claim against it from Premier Telesports. The claim revolved around the right to transmit live pictures of UK horse racing in Russia and the Baltic states.

Advising a number of the country's leading Football League clubs on various issues including employment and immigration matters, licensing issues, data protection issues, property issues, financial arrangements, sponsorship agreements, general commercial arrangements, proposed share issue and also in relation to one of the club's football academy and on the use of CCTV in stadia.

Acted for several leading equestrian athletes in challenges to periods of suspension imposed by the Federation Equestre Internationale. In one of these (Christine Yeoman), we were successful in achieving the first ever finding of No Fault in a case involving a contaminated supplement and we achieved the same outcome for international eventer, Jonathan Paget.

Meet the team
Jeremy Dickerson

Jeremy Dickerson Partner

  • Head of International 
  • Head of Intellectual Property, Media and Sport
  • Defamation and Reputation Management
Roger Bull

Roger Bull Managing Partner

  • Managing Partner 
  • Employment Disputes
  • Strategic HR Projects
Luke Bowery

Luke Bowery Partner

  • Employment
  • Restructuring and Redundancy
  • Equality, Diversity and Discrimination
Helen Scott-Lawler

Helen Scott-Lawler Partner

  • Head of Food and Drink
  • Commercial
  • Intellectual Property and Media

What others say...

...well-balanced advice.

Legal 500 2014

Key contact

Jeremy Dickerson

Jeremy Dickerson Partner

  • Head of International 
  • Head of Intellectual Property, Media and Sport
  • Defamation and Reputation Management

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