Northridge Law LLP > London, England > Firm Profile
Northridge Law LLP Offices
90 Bartholomew Close
London
EC1A 7BN
England
Northridge Law LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings
TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Sport Tier 1
Sports boutique Northridge Law LLP regularly works on high value sponsorship deals and corporate transactions – such as takeovers and sales – for elite football clubs. Practice co-heads Jonathan Ellis
and Ian Lynam are routinely engaged on high-profile mandates within the industry, ranging from high-profile acquisitions to sponsorship agreements. Recent engagements for Ellis include work with the FA regarding the development of the women’s game and issues arising out of fan-led reviews. Jon Walters and Paul Shapiro are key commercial contacts for high-growth tech companies operating at the intersection of media, sports, marketing and advertising. Walters also works on venue hosting agreements for baseball and football events. James Eighteen is regularly sought out by major governing bodies for advice on horse-doping-related disciplinary proceedings, among other issues. Jamie Feldman supports on employment law matters. Oliver Harland, Sarah Boulton and George Willis are all further names to note. Mike Herbert was promoted to partner in April 2023. Practice head(s):
Jonathan Ellis; Ian Lynam
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Northridge combines the focused expertise of a specialist sports law firm with an unparalleled level of service. The firm excels across the full range of sports law work, from regulatory and disciplinary aspects to commercial and player/club/agent cases. The partners have enormous experience and expertise and effectively pass it on to the associates, who can quickly develop because the practice is specialist.’
‘I have worked most with Jon Ellis and James Eighteen on the regulatory side of things. They are simply excellent, combining very hard work with in depth knowledge and experience of the sector built up of many years. They stand out in particular because they can apply their expertise and experience, and hard work, so effectively to deliver what the client needs.’
‘Tom Edmonds is a pleasure to instruct – he is responsive, pragmatic, diligent, and understands the business and the industry.’
‘James Eighteen is a litigator who knows how to fight hard but provide pragmatic advice based on excellent legal knowledge. Inspires confidence.’
‘I do not know how anyone would fail to find Ian Lynam engaging. He is the very best non- contentious sports lawyer I have met. In a sector so full of egos and self-promotion, he is refreshingly understated.’
Jon Ellis is just the best if you have a regulatory dispute.’
‘Northridge probably have the best all round proposition in the sports law market. Dedicated specialist teams with deep knowledge of the sector.’
Paul Shapiro – strong legal drafting and meticulous attention to detail.’
Key clients
The FA
Chelsea FC
Spotify
LIV Golf
Elliott
Premiership Rugby
Betway
The British Horseracing Authority
Raheem Sterling
Welsh Rugby Union
Fédération Française de Rugby
Work highlights
- Acted as the lead counsel on the sale of Chelsea FC.
- Acted for Spotify on its sponsorship agreement with FC Barcelona.
- Advised Elliott Advisors on the sale of AC Milan to RedBird Capital Partners.
Crime, fraud and licensing > Gaming and betting Tier 2
Northridge Law LLP provides ‘balanced and practically useful advice’ to gambling operators, games developers and innovative tech companies, with the team advising on a broad range of matters such as regulatory licensing, transactional work and gambling sponsorship arrangements. Practice chair Melanie Ellis is well versed in licensing, advertising and anti-money laundering procedures, while Tom Edmonds has significant experience of advising sports and betting companies on commercial agreements that straddle the two sectors.Practice head(s):
Melanie Ellis
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Very responsive and excellent understanding of commercial and product aspects in addition to legal knowledge.’
‘Expertise in UK gambling compliance, the legal process and interactions with regulators, always with one eye on the bigger picture.’
‘Melanie Ellis demonstrates commercial pragmatism supported with a great deal of technical and operational knowledge & experience. ’
Key clients
Evolution Gaming
Shareholders of InTouch Games
Run It Once
SportyStuff TV Limited
Betway
Who Knows Wins
BRS Golf
GridRival
Sporting Chance Prize Draw
Veriff OU
Transigo Ltd
Dazzletag Entertainment Ltd
Work highlights
- Advising Evolution Gaming on gambling licensing and compliance matters.
- Advised the shareholders of In Touch Games on the company’s acquisition by Skywind Holdings, including assisting with due diligence and regulatory aspects.
- Advised Betway on a wide range of sponsorship deals, including high profile international football sponsorships and US-based franchises.
TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media: Advertising & marketing Tier 4
Northridge Law LLP houses a team of ‘real specialists‘ who exhibit ‘deep industry knowledge‘ when acting for well known clients, including Spotify, Puma, and AEG Worldwide. Practice head Jon Walters has broad knowledge spanning sponsorship deals and commercial issues, and is ‘friendly and commercially astute‘ when assisting clients with expansion of sponsorship programmes and naming rights deals. Paul Shapiro predominantly advising brands and athletes on licensing and merchandising matters, ensuring regulatory compliance is observed; and associate George Willis has a great deal of expertise in data protection, often negotiating endorsement deals between sporting clubs and media platforms.Practice head(s):
Jon Walters
Other key lawyers:
Paul Shapiro; George Willis
Testimonials
‘The team has deep domain expertise and networks within the European sporting fraternity.’
‘Jon Walters is friendly and commercially astute.’
‘Great and really helpful.’
‘Great attitude and experience, they are real specialists in their field.’
‘Superior client service, agility, and execution.’
‘Deep industry knowledge paired with ability to apply it to legal framework; they can explain how a piece of the industry works in a particular manner, and the legal theory behind it.’
Key clients
Spotify
Betway
LIV Golf
AEG Worldwide
Thierry Henry
TGI Sport
Two Circles / Bruin Capital
PUMA
E20 / London Stadium
Found Entertainment
DesignScene
Heaps + Stacks
GenMove
Blueprintx
KIN
Blink Productions
Creative Control Ventures
CSM
Work highlights
- Acted for Spotify on a sponsorship agreement with FC Barcelona.
- Advising Betway on the significant expansion of its global sponsorship programme, notably its expansion into the US.
Northridge Law LLP > Firm Profile
Northridge is an independent law firm that focuses on the most complex and important matters in sport. Founded in 2017, it has already established itself as the firm the sports industry turns to when the stakes are highest. As Europe’s largest sports practice, the firm offers a unique combination of scale and expertise, providing the depth required to staff the largest and most demanding projects.
Representative clients: The FA, Puma, Premiership Rugby, Premier League football clubs, the British Horseracing Authority, Welsh Rugby Union, Rugby Football League, Betway, Spotify, Bukayo Saka, Jadon Sancho, Mohamed Salah, Thierry Henry, Raheem Sterling, Two Circles (and its owner, Bruin Sports Capital), E20 (owner of the London Stadium), AEG Worldwide.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corporate and Commercial | Ian Lynam | ian.lynam@northridgelaw.com | 020 3957 8809 |
| Corporate and Commercial | Jon Walters | jon.walters@northridgelaw.com | 020 3957 8810 |
| Litigation and Arbitration | Jonathan Ellis | jon.ellis@northridgelaw.com | 020 3957 8808 |
| Litigation and Arbitration | James Eighteen | james.eighteen@northridgelaw.com | 020 3957 8818 |
| Betting and Gaming | Melanie Ellis | melanie.ellis@northridgelaw.com | 020 3957 8816 |
| Competition Law | Benoit Keane | benoit.keane@northridgelaw.com | 0032 2 280 68 80 |
| Employment Law | Jamie Feldman | jamie.feldman@northridgelaw.com | 020 3957 8813 |
| Data Protection | George Willis | george.willis@northridgelaw.com | 020 3957 8806 |
| Regulation and Governance | Jon Walters | jon.walters@northridgelaw.com | 020 3957 8810 |
| Regulation and Governance | Jonathan Ellis | jon.ellis@northridgelaw.com | 020 3957 8808 |
Solicitor Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
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Ms Sarah Boulton | Sarah is a commercial litigator with a particular focus on the sports… | View Profile |
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Mr Tom Edmonds | Tom advises clients in the sports and gambling sectors on commercial contracts… | View Profile |
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Mr James Eighteen | James has for many years been a key advisor to governing bodies… | View Profile |
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Mrs Melanie Ellis | Melanie is an experienced gambling regulatory lawyer, advising on all aspects of… | View Profile |
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Mr Jonathan Ellis | Jonathan is a commercial litigator who specialises in the sports sector. He… | View Profile |
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Mr Jamie Feldman | Jamie heads the firm’s employment practice, advising employer and individual clients on… | View Profile |
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Mr Oliver Harland | Oliver specialises in litigation and contentious regulatory matters, in particular for sports… | View Profile |
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Mr Mike Herbert | Mike advises clients on a wide range of corporate, commercial and financing… | View Profile |
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Mr Ian Lynam | Ian’s practice spans a wide range of transactional and regulatory areas of… | View Profile |
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Mr Paul Shapiro | Paul specialises in commercial and regulatory advice to clients in the sports… | View Profile |
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Mr Jon Walters | Jon provides commercial and corporate advice to clients, with particular expertise on… | View Profile |
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Mr George Willis | George is a commercial and data protection lawyer, specialising in contract and… | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Permanent and temporary staff : 32Languages
English French SpanishMemberships
British Association for Sport and Law New York State Bar Association Law Society of IrelandClient Testimonials
CLIENT: Polly Handford, Director of Legal & Governance
COMPANY/FIRM: The FA
TESTIMONIAL: The FA has had a long-standing relationship with the Northridge team. Their advice is commercial, strategic but above all the team knows The FA and its workings so well that the advice is always ideally bespoke to The FA
CLIENT: Rachel Garber
COMPANY/FIRM: AEG
TESTIMONIAL: Regardless of the nature of the matter, we receive a truly excellent legal service, which is grounded with a real understanding of our business and industry, ensuring we get the very best service and value for money.
CLIENT: Gareth Balch, Chief Executive
COMPANY/FIRM: Two Circles
TESTIMONIAL: Working with Jon Walters, Mike Herbert and the team at Northridge has been a great experience. We have valued their industry knowledge and commercial understanding, which has enabled us to make important decisions with confidence.
CLIENT: Farhad Moshiri
COMPANY/FIRM: Controlling stake in Everton FC
TESTIMONIAL: The Northridge team has been my trusted legal advisor on football matters for many years. They combine the highest levels of legal expertise and service levels, with an unparalleled knowledge of the football industry. They have played an important role in helping to deliver this transaction.
CLIENT: Rhodri Lewis, Head of Legal Affairs
COMPANY/FIRM: Welsh Rugby Union
TESTIMONIAL: Having worked with the team at Northridge for a number of years, I know that the breadth of their expertise and experience is unrivalled. I can depend on them to provide the practical and commercial advice I need as a complement to our in-house capability. Their understanding of the issues and quality of advice is outstanding and I would definitely prefer to have them on my side!
CLIENT: Tim Naylor, Director of Integrity and Regulation
COMPANY/FIRM: The British Horseracing Authority
TESTIMONIAL: [The re-write of the British Horseracing Authority’s Rules of Racing] has been a long and complex piece of work and I’d like to thank Northridge’s dedicated and experienced team for all the assistance they have provided, particularly James Eighteen and Oliver Harland. The result is a set of rules that are as clear and easy to understand as they have ever been, as well as being easily accessible online and through digital applications. The new rules now stand as a prime example of BHA’s progressive approach to make regulation more transparent for our participants and the general public.
CLIENT: Pamela Morris Williams, Head of Regulatory Compliance
COMPANY/FIRM: Evolution Gaming
TESTIMONIAL: Working with Melanie Ellis and the team at Northridge is always a tremendous help and a great experience. The support and guidance given to the Company for the jurisdiction of United Kingdom is so valuable and an incredible asset. Their swift responses and understanding the issue from a company perspective is truly valuable to us.