Fountain Court Chambers continues to grow its presence in the sports law market, with particular strength in commercial and regulatory disputes across a wide range of sports. Since joining chambers in 2023, John Mehrzad KC has had a significant impact, with sports work forming the majority of his practice. He is instructed in some of the most high-profile and contentious matters in the sector, including acting for the Formula 1 regulator in the ongoing proceedings brought by Felipe Massa relating to the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, during which Nelson Piquet Jr deliberately crashed to benefit his Renault team-mate Fernando Alonso. Members are also active in commercial claims, disciplinary proceedings, and safeguarding appeals, with recent work involving football, rugby, motor racing and equestrian sports. Samuel Rabinowitz has developed a robust sports practice.
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Mentions
Profile
Position
Called 2005 (Inner Temple). Silk 2020. Sport, Commercial and Employment law. Chair UK Athletics Review (2019/20), Chair British Equestrian Federation Review (2017/18), Review of British Cycling Panellist (2016/17), FA Discipline Chair (2014-2022), Advocate London 2012 Olympic Games and Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, Tokyo 2020 mentor, Sports Resolution Panellist (from 2012), CAS Legal Aid Panellist (from 2015), League Managers Association Panellist, Professional Cricket Association Panellist.
Notable cases: Credico v. Lambert [2022] EWCA Civ 864 [2021] EWHC 1504; Create Financial Management v. Lee [2020] 1 WLR 78; Brown v. Neon Management [2019] IRLR 30; Carreras v. United First Partners Research [2018] EWCA Civ 323; Bourne Rail v. Ashton [2018] EWHC 910; BTP v. Hill UKEAT/0445/15/BA; Game Retail v. Laws UKEAT/0188/14/D4; Charlesworth v. Amey UKEATPA/0326/13/MC; Tavistock School v. Richards UKEAT/0244/13/SM; Stuart v. London City Airport UKEATPA/1651/11/MAA; Blazevic v. Hayashibara UKEATPA/0738/11/CEA; Humphreys v. Norilsk Nickel [2010] IRLR 976; Hunt v. Legal & General UKEATPA/1531/10/DM.
Career
Call 2005. Silk 2020.
Memberships
British Association of Sport and Law, Employment Law Bar Association, Free Representation Unit.
Education
Keble College, Oxford University; University of Nantes, France; Trinity College, Dublin; BPP, London.
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘John's depth of knowledge is rivalled only by his strategic acumen and breadth of contacts in the sports industry, and trailed very closely by his excellent written and oral advocacy.'