Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner advises a diverse client base across a spectrum of regulatory, commercial, and contentious matters in sport. The group is particularly active in sports financing and complex cross-border litigation and arbitration, with recent work spanning proceedings before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, FIFA’s Dispute Resolution Chamber, FA Disciplinary proceedings. This capability to handle complex matters is demonstrated by the team’s representation of Rights and Media Funding Limited, the financial services company, on an acquisition by The Friedkin Group, Inc. of a majority stake in Everton FC. Graham Shear, who focuses much of his practice on commercial and regulatory litigation, leads the team. Insolvency specialist Marc Trottier advises on a wide range of sports financing and restructurings. Andrew Street and Kate Jeffery are also active in the space.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Flexible and quick responses.’
‘Continuous service. Marc Trottier has a close contact with us.’
- 'A stellar team for sporting disputes, especially those involving high-profile matters.'
- 'Graham Shear - a doyen of the sports law world.'
- 'Andrew Street - a go-to partner for sports law disputes.'
- 'Very strong on finance and investment, commercial and regulatory / litigation aspects. They are an extremely responsive and knowledgeable team and are extremely well regarded in this space.'
- 'Marc is one of the best lawyers we have ever worked with. In addition to being a first-rate practitioner, he is extremely commercial and knows our market better than anyone we know. He's been a great partner to our organisation. He handles all of our difficult transactions with great patience and professionalism.'
Key clients
- Rights and Media Funding Limited
- Bally’s
- Sportradar
- Federation Internationale de Ski (FIS)
- The administrators of Worcester Warriors
- Nottingham Forest Football Club
- ICM Stellar Sports
- New Era
Work highlights
Advised Rights and Media Funding Limited, the financial services company, on an acquisition by The Friedkin Group, Inc. of a majority stake in Everton FC, the English Premier League club.
Advising Julie Palmer, Julian Pitts and Andrew Hook of Begbies Traynor Group (BTG), in their capacity as joint administrators and receivers of Worcester Warriors, on a formal insolvency process, including the sale of Worcester Warriors to Atlas Worcester Warriors Rugby Club (Atlas).
Advised Bally’s, the leading US-based gambling, betting, and interactive entertainment company, highly active in the sports betting area on the commercial, technology, outsourcing and IP aspects of the carve-out of the interactive business of Bally’s in Asia and certain other international markets
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Practice head
Graham Shear
Other key lawyers
Marc Trottier; Andrew Street; Kate Jeffery