Sports Law
A Head Start
We know that in this sector, the difference between winning and losing is very small indeed. To win you need impeccable preparation, determination, effort and a support team of focused, like-minded individuals, to whom success is everything. In modern sport, the stakes are higher than ever, and all too often the extra-time is played out in the court room.
The sports industry accounts for around 3% of the world’s total economic activity, equating to over $3 trillion per annum. With this level of economic activity, we feel that clients’ in this sector require specialist legal advice.
Sports law is recognised as a fast moving, multi-faceted and commercially demanding area of law. Covering issues from career ending injuries to complex contractual negotiations, there are many areas where specialist advice is not only a commercial preference, but a commercial requirement.
The diversity of the legal challenges posted by this sector are unparalleled, and in order to maximise opportunities and minimise threats you need a legal team who have recognised expertises across the board.
Talk to someone now - 0870 1500 100
IMSport - The team that has it all
Irwin Mitchell has a dedicated multidisciplinary sports law team; IMSport. The IMSport team is a specialised team of lawyers with extensive experience and industry relevant knowledge. The team is headed by Kevin Harris-James.
Kevin is frequently instructed to advise upon the most complex and high-profile of legal issues (e.g. The Lord Steven’s enquiry into "Bungs" in football). His client profile is impressive, including numerous Premiership Football Players, Managers and Clubs, in what is a rapidly expanding area of the practice.
As the largest full service firm in the UK, the IMSport team at Irwin Mitchell is able to offer expertise in across the legal spectrum. As the fourth biggest law firm in the UK, with more than 2300 staff and offices in Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield as well as the Spanish cities of Marbella and Madrid, our pool of expertise is unrivalled.
A unique approach
IMSport offers a single-port-of-call for our clients’ legal requirements. A unique team, headed by a member of IMSport, is built around our clients’ specific legal requirements. This ensures our clients always have the best of both worlds; specialist sector knowledge coupled with specialist legal knowledge.
Our national network of offices means we bring the advice to you. We know that for everyone involved in this sector, time is money. Whether you are an athlete in Manchester with an intensive training schedule, or a club in London with a busy calendar, we can bring lawyers to your door.
Talk to someone now - 0870 1500 100
Meet the IMSport team
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Irwin Mitchell advises both Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United, and is active in snooker and horse racing ....and is praised for ‘excellent service’.
Legal 500 - 2007/08 |
Kevin Harris-James (Partner) - Kevin specialises in financial aspects of relationship breakdown particularly involving high value disputes frequently with an international dimension.
Kevin heads IMSport and through his reputation as a family lawyer, Kevin has over the years represented a number of well-known sporting personalities, who have subsequently sought to consult him in all manner of sport-related legal issues.
Such is his reputation and experience, particularly in Football, he is frequently instructed to advise upon the most complex and high-profile of legal issues (e.g. The Lord Steven’s enquiry into "Bungs" in football). His client profile is impressive, including numerous Premiership Football Players, Managers and Clubs, in what is a rapidly expanding area of the practice. Kevin heads the Sports Law Group within the firm, and continues to achieve a growing national reputation in this niche area.
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"the superb Kevin Harris-James leads the team and clients praise his ability to remain 'calm and sensible' in highly emotive times" his team specialise "in high-value financial disputes, often involving an international element, and recently advised a Premiership footballer and an established LA-based actor on divorce proceedings"
Legal 500 - 2007/08 |
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Stuart Henderson (Partner) - Specialises in Catastrophic spinal cord and brain injury, fatal accident claims, clinical negligence and travel litigation.
Stuart heads the personal injury department in our Birmingham office. He has handled a range of cases involving sporting injuries including: Football, claims arising from career ending tackles; Rugby, a severe spinal cord injury from scrum incident; Volleyball, claims arising from the condition of playing surface; as well as Trampoline and gymnastic accidents.
He has enormous experience in occupational health claims, major spinal cord and brain injury claims and travel related litigation, having litigated claims successfully both in England and overseas.
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The Legal 500 refers to Stuart as:
"exceptionally talented" and his team are "undoubtedly one of the strongest" |
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Nick Bates (Partner) - Specialises in a
ll areas of Commercial Litigation, particularly breach of warranty, shareholder disputes, partnership disputes, banking, insolvency related issues, agency, construction, professional negligence, breach of confidentiality and defamation.
Nick is Head of Commercial Litigation team in the North and has substantial ADR and trial experience, including Court of Appeal and House of Lords.
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Nick "heads a 16-lawyer commercial litigation team, which continues to offer service of the highest quality and integrity and speed".
Legal 500 - 2007/08 |
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Kevin Docherty (Partner) - Specialises in Commercial Property, especially development projects and planning and environmental issues affecting development.
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Kevin is National Head of Commercial Property and has been the lead partner for teams of lawyers acting on major town centre redevelopments and edge of town retail parks. "Irwin Mitchell's team, led by Kevin Docherty, is said by clients to be 'excellent all round'."
Legal 500 - 2007/08 |
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Fergal Dowling (Partner) - Specialises in Contentious Employment Law & Human Resources issues.
Fergal also deals with non-contentious issues for employers to include advice on Contracts of Employment, Directors' Service Agreements and he provides regular advice to employers on all aspects of policy and procedure.
| Fergal is Head of the Employment and Human Resources Team at Irwin Mitchell's Birmingham office and "enjoys a solid reputation in complex tribunal matters" and his team are and "are praised for ‘pragmatic, business-focused advice"
Legal 500 - 2007/08 |
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Philip Edwards (Partner) - Specialises in high-value Personal Injury claims, particularly acquired brain injury and work related cases, both accidents and disease.
Philip is a senior member of the Catastrophic/Neurotrauma team with specific expertise in the field of acquired brain injury has always practiced exclusively in the field of Claimant Personal Injury work.
Philip is recognised by many health and other professionals in the field as a leading lawyer dealing with acquired brain injury. He is the only lawyer sitting on a peer review group of neuropsychologists.
Philip lectures externally on a regular basis on all legal issues connected with brain injury, industrial claims and funding legal cases.
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David Egan (Partner) - Specialises in Regulatory and Investigations
David Egan heads up the National Health & Safety and Environmental Team at Irwin Mitchell and has the distinction of having appeared as an advocate before over 250 different Courts and Regulatory Tribunals in England and Wales and recently acted in relation to the Lord Stephens enquiry into "Bungs" in football.
David brings has a wealth of experience on acting in investigations regarding breaches of health and safety and regulatory requirements.
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Michael Longden (Associate Director) - Specialises in the commercial and regulatory law needs of and in respect of the public, voluntary, education, sports and culture sectors.
| "Michael Longden has extensive PFI and public sector experience, is said to be of 'exceptionally high quality', while the wider team is described as 'invaluable, offering sound and practical advice'."
Legal 500 - 2007/08 |
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Emile Saadi - Specialises in Intellectual Property
Emile joined Irwin Mitchell in 2006 and has extensive experience in the sports industry, including working at a premiership football club and lecturing in sport science. Emile has a first class degree in sport science and is also a member of the British Association of Sport and the Law.
About Irwin Mitchell
Irwin Mitchell provides legal services that are tailored to meet your individual needs. We get to know your business, understand your aims and objectives and provide advice that helps you to achieve your goals. Rather than simply work for you, we build a relationship based on trust and commitment, ensuring that we achieve the best possible solutions for you.
Talk to someone now - 0870 1500 100