The Legal 500 > United Kingdom - Solicitors > North West > Sport

Hailed as ‘the leading firm in the North West for sport’, Brabners LLP is known for ‘understanding the business of sport’. Maurice Watkins is a distinguished name with experience of serving as a director at both Manchester United and the Rugby Football League Board; he leads the practice together with Lydia Edgar, ‘the go-to person for employment-related issues’. The team advises sports agencies, international sportspeople, foundations, governing bodies and football clubs on issues including media, broadcasting, governance, event organisation, real estate and regulation. Commercial matters are also a core strength of the group which includes senior associate Andrew McGregor, tipped to be ‘the next star in North West sport law’; he handles a range of disputes and is an expert in football-related rules and regulations.

The three biggest football clubs in the North West - Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City - are all clients of Centrefield LLP, which also advises several high-profile players, including Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold. In addition to football, the team also works with rugby league, rugby union, cricket, swimming, golf, basketball, cycling and esports clients. Matthew Bennett focuses on governance, regulatory, disciplinary and dispute matters in addition to immigration and athlete representation. Elsewhere, David Bentham is a go-to name for sponsorship arrangements, endorsements merchandising and broadcasting while Edward Canty, a specialist in governance issues, recently acted on various anti-doping matters. The trio jointly lead the practice, which also consists of Stuart Baird; his recent work has included several high-profile football transfers.

Fletcher Sports Law's clients include football agents and intermediaries, managers, brands and players, with England captain Harry Kane and Manchester United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka notable examples. The team advises on player transfers, endorsement agreements, disputes, image rights, regulatory issues and contractual renegotiations. Outside of football, the group is also active on the boxing front in addition to ruby union, rugby league, darts, snooker, cricket, athletics and golf. The firm’s managing director Paul Fletcher leads the department and is supported by Tom Grant.

The team at Gateley Plc is ‘very knowledgeable, well-connected and excellent to work with’. John Burns oversees the department, providing expertise in image rights protection and an array of commercial contracts, namely merchandising and sponsorship agreements. Additional key areas of work include hosting, broadcasting and construction arrangements, stadium development work, brand licensing and a wealth of disputes. The team works with Premier League clubs, national governing bodies, sports brands, agents and sportspeople.

Pinsent Masons LLP supports clients ‘across a broad spectrum of issues in the sport sector’; including regulatory, governance, commercial rights and digital projects while also handling a wealth of contentious matters. Department head Julian Diaz-Rainey, ‘one of the most experienced and best sports litigators outside of London’, focuses on football and has a track record of handling a range of high-profile litigation and arbitration At the junior end, senior associate Andrew Mitchell, reputed for his ‘technical and practical advice’, is knowledgeable of cricket, rugby league, athletics and motor sport in addition to football. He is regularly engaged by governing and regulatory bodies for assistance with reputation management, rules and policies and regulatory matters. Associate Alexander Richardson also stands out for his 'smart and practical' service. Clients include sponsors, venues, teams, major events, competitions and broadcasters.

At Brandsmiths, founding partner and practice head Adam Morallee primarily works with football, boxing and motorsports clients. His team's broad caseload includes commercial and regulatory matters, employment issues, sponsorship agreements and image rights. Football-related transactions, including both club and player sales and acquisitions, are also a notable strength, as are anti-doping matters. Both contentious and non-contentious matters are handled for a client roaster which includes sports organisations and brands, clubs, sportsmen, promoters, managers and boxers.

DAC Beachcroft LLP handles a wealth of sporting-related matters including commercial services, employment and insurance, contractual issues, disputes, licensing and corporate restructurings. Jan Levinson, the team’s practice head, is a disputes specialist with a track record of work relating to sports injuries, sponsorship agreements, disciplinary matters and defamation. Manchester United are a standout name on the client roster, which includes other sports clubs, athletes, regulatory bodies, sports associations, technology providers and sportswear manufacturers.

Dominic McGinn is the key name for sports matters at Excello Law. He represents footballers, clubs, agents and sports-related businesses. His track record includes appearances before FIFA, as well as acting on behalf of fitness instructor Sarah Watson in a high-profile case which saw an injunction lifted, allowing newspapers to report on allegations concerning Manchester United footballer Marcos Rojo. In a more recent highlight, he represented a broker in a claim against a Premier League club for £6m worth of fees pertaining to the club’s sale.