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

Gateley Plc specialises in sports matters including brand licensing, sponsorship, stadium development work and litigation. Other areas of expertise include image rights agreements, governance, intellectual property, data protection and freedom of information requests. Key clients include national and international governing bodies and top football clubs including Manchester City, Everton and Brighton and Hove Albion. Team head John Burns - who 'has an outstanding commercial ability to see opportunities' - focuses on matters such as image rights and commercial agreements.

Mills & Reeve LLP specialises in sports arbitration and litigation. Areas of expertise include image rights, sponsorship and endorsement deals, doping cases, defamation, disputes and tax. The firm's clients include football clubs, national governing bodies, players’ associations, and various athletes. Arbitration specialist Mark Hovell co-heads the team alongside Carol Couse.

Pinsent Masons LLP advises both national and international sports clients on a broad range of matters, covering investment, disputes, construction, planning and technology. Clients include governing bodies, sponsors, venues, teams, major events, funders, broadcasters and high-net-worth individuals. Julian Diaz-Rainey heads the team and focuses on dispute resolution, commercial and regulatory matters. Senior associate Andrew Mitchell specialises in contentious sports matters. Jo Seed is also recommended.

DAC Beachcroft LLP advises sporting clients on matters including commercial services, employment and contractual issues, disputes, corporate finance and licensing. A particular area of expertise for the firm is sports injuries - the practice handling claims involving clubs, players and medical professionals. Jan Levinson heads the team and focuses on commercial dispute resolution.

JMW Solicitors LLP advises sporting clients including athletes, footballers, sports clubs, Formula 1 teams and others from the world of motorsport. Mike Blood focuses on sports finance, broadcast and commercial rights; he co-heads the team alongside disputes specialist Marc Yaffe and Ben Peppi. The practice handles a broad range of matters relating to broadcasting, defamation, employment, competition and corporate, among others.

Shoosmiths LLP's sports offering is led by Richard Millington, who launched the practice for the firm in 2016 after 12 years working in-house. He recently created the firms’ Elite Advisory service, a new private client service for professionals and entrepreneurs in sport, media and entertainment. The practice is active in a broad range of sports including football, rugby, cricket, volleyball and athletics, advising clients on governance, broadcast rights, litigation and partnership deals.

'New model' firm Excello Law is an alternative business structure without a traditional hierarchy. Its sports offering is fronted by the 'brilliant' Dominic McGinn, who is based in Liverpool and has a particular focus on litigation. Clients include footballers, football clubs, football agents and sports-based businesses.

North West law firm Farleys Solicitors LLP advises sports clients on disputes, injuries, employment matters, debt and insolvency and defamation. Clients are drawn from a range of sports including football, boxing, rugby, athletics, darts, cycling, short mat bowls and golf. Daniel Draper heads the team.

Hill Dickinson LLP's sports practice handles commercial contracts, disputes, disciplinary and regulatory matters and reputation and brand management. Clients include clubs, promoters, athletes, sports governing bodies, events and sponsors. Geraldine Ryan, London-based consultant Louise Millington-Roberts and Sue Russell head the team. Ryan has a focus on breach of contract claims while Russell focuses on providing constitutional and commercial advice to sporting organisations.