Harbottle & Lewis LLP

Sport

Bob is a partner and has been head of the firm’s sports practice for over 25 years.

He specialises in all aspects of sports law, with significant expertise in advising sports focused clients on both commercial and regulatory issues.

Bob has particular experience in negotiating and providing advice on the terms of commercial sports agreements, particularly those relating to sponsorship deals, but also participation, staging, promoter and venue agreements, and advising on sports regulatory and disciplinary issues.

He advises a cross-section of clients including governing bodies (such as Cricket West Indies), other sports rights owners (including the Professional Cricketers’ Association, The Queen’s Club and the World Cricketers’ Association), and a number of sports marketing and management agencies.

In addition, Bob advises individual sportsmen and women (including the collective members of the England cricket team) on their arrangements with sponsors, governing bodies, agencies and teams. He also advises a range of brands such as Emirates and Diageo (whose brands include Guinness and Johnnie Walker) on their sponsorships of various sports rights properties.

Bob was instrumental in the creation of the Team England Player Partnership (TEPP), the body that represents the England’s cricketers in relation to commercial, employment and disciplinary matters. He has acted for TEPP and the England players for the last 25 years.

Bob is a member of the European Sponsorship Association (ESA) and until recently was a member of the ESA Board.

Trained Keene Marsland; qualified 1992; Assistant Keene Marsland 1992-93; Partner 1993-97; Senior Associate Harbottle & Lewis 1997-2000; Partner 2000 to date

Law Society; Bob is also Director of the European Sponsorship Association and is its legal adviser.

Hipperholme Grammar School, Halifax; Brunel University; College of Law, Chester.

Playing golf and tennis and watching all sports.