Sport

Specialist solicitors for the sports sector

Our sports sector team is a leading sports law practice in the United Kingdom and is ranked as a top tier team in The Legal 500 legal directory.

Clarke Willmott has more than 25 years of experience working with sports clients and our reputation within the marketplace is reflected by the calibre of the individuals and organisations we work with. We frequently advise some of the biggest names in professional sport on English law and our clients include professional sports clubs, leading professional players and sports celebrities, elite athletes, national governing bodies, international sports agencies, and leading global brands.

From sports employment disputes and disciplinary matters to stadia construction projects, we can provide you and your business with pro-active, sharp and cost-effective advice for all your legal issues.

Why choose Clarke Willmott

Professional sport is an international business, with transactions often involving acute timeframes. We provide practical, commercial solutions and offer extremely high service of levels, allowing issues to be resolved as quickly as possible.

Our team is responsive and committed to long term relationships. We want to know what is important to you so we can help you achieve your aspirations.

Many of our solicitors play sport and/or have a sporting background. We talk your language, understand your goals, and the special considerations when operating in the business of professional sport.

Whilst diligent, knowledgeable, and technically capable, we frequently receive feedback from clients that our sport solicitors “are not like other lawyers”. The team prides themselves on being able to deliver cutting edge legal advice on very high-profile matters, whilst advising the client in an accessible, user-friendly, and clear manner on their options.

How we can help you

Examples of our specialist work and how we can help you include:

• Drafting and negotiating elite manager and club executive agreements, including leading football manager contracts, Director of Rugby, and Director of Cricket employment contracts
• Advising on settlement agreement negotiations and the terminations of professional player contracts for Premier League and Championship footballers and Premiership rugby players
• Advising on National Governing Body investigations, regarding concerns of discrimination (for example on the grounds of race or sex), match-fixing, anti-corruption, and whistleblowing
• Advising on sport sector large scale construction projects including stadium developments, training ground redevelopments, and sport venue property and infrastructure legal issues
• Commercial property including disputes, land swap for golf clubs, acquisition and disposal of stadium grounds, energy saving developments and property management
• Advising international sports agencies and player management companies on commercial, employment law, and regulatory sports law issues and disputes
• Corporate law advice on sport company mergers and acquisitions, advising on club constitutional issues, shareholder and loan financing agreements
• Advising on medical negligence within professional sport, sports injury compensation claims, and on incapacity terminations
• Commercial advice on sponsorship agreements, licences, sport event, data protection compliance, and legal issues arising through sport marketing and brand experience activation projects
• Helping professional rugby or football players to achieve rapid exits from their former clubs – freeing them up to arrange a transfer or retirement, or advising on contractual disputes (such as the distribution of team promotion bonuses)
• Sport regulatory issues such as Rule K arbitration, anti-doping, Olympic selection disputes, and advising on disciplinary matters both on and off the field of play, including RFU disciplinary tribunals
• Divorce and family law for sports professionals, including pre-nuptial agreements and complex financial settlements
• Private wealth advice, including wills, Lasting Power of Attorney and tax planning,
• Advising sports professionals and rights holders on intellectual property protection, image rights, and intellectual property disputes whether domestic or international
• Debt recovery for sports clubs, including debts owed by members who have defaulted on paying annual fees for seats they hold under a membership agreement and claiming unpaid charges from suppliers to sports brands.

Industry recognition

“I have worked with the Sport team at Clarke Willmott over the last few years and have found them to be not only responsive and commercial to our needs, but the team also demonstrate a deep understanding of the business and the industry in which I operate. They are very much results orientated which I find to be extremely helpful when looking to navigate through tricky legal issues. With a strong emphasis on client care, the team are always a pleasure to deal with.” Gloucestershire County Cricket Club

What they say about us

“Clarke Willmott LLP has ‘first-class expertise’ and ‘excellent service with response times that are second to none’.” Legal 500 2019

“Clarke Willmott LLP’s national sports sector team excels in representing professional athletes – particularly football and rugby players” Legal 500 2020

“Clarke Willmott LLP’s national sports sector team excels in representing professional athletes – particularly football and rugby players – in employment-related matters. It also advises coaches and professional sports organisations, among other clients. The team’s work often comprises cross-border elements, with strong links with clients in the US being particularly notable.” The Legal 500 2020

Contact a sports sector specialist

If you require specialist legal advice, call us today for a free initial consultation on 0800 652 8025 or get in touch online. We have offices in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, London, Manchester, Southampton and Taunton.