Kellerhals Carrard

Kellerhals Carrard is one of the world's leading international sports law firms. Its practice covers all areas of sports law, including disputes and commercial matters.

Kellerhals Carrard consistently attracts the highest ranking for sports law in Switzerland, both by the international legal directories (Chambers and Partners, Legal 500, Who's Who Legal) and national rankings (Bilanz/Le Temps):

• Who's Who Legal
  Kellerhals Carrard was the leading Sports & Entertainment firm in Switzerland in Who's Who Legal in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 and was awarded the title of Firm of the Year for Sports & Entertainment in 2020. Kellerhals Carrard also has the highest number of lawyers ranked for sports law – the only firm with six ranked individuals (Ross Wenzel, François Carrard, David Casserly, Jean-Pierre Morand, Philippe Frésard, François Kaiser).
• Legal 500
  Kellerhals Carrard is a top ranked firm for Sports Law in Switzerland (Band 1 in 2020 and 2021) by Legal 500, and is the only firm with two ranked individuals (Ross Wenzel and David Casserly).
• Chambers and Partners
  Kellerhals Carrard is the firm with most lawyers ranked by Chambers and Partners for sports law – the only firm with four ranked individuals (François Carrard, Jean-Pierre Morand, Ross Wenzel and David Casserly).
• Bilanz/Le Temps
  Kellerhals Carrard has been placed at the top of the Bilanz/Le Temps rankings (five stars) for sports law every year since its inception (2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021).

The firm has unparalleled experience in the resolution of sports disputes and is one of the most active firms appearing before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), particularly in football and doping-related disputes. The firm is uniquely equipped to act before the CAS, as it combines expertise in the procedural law of the CAS (Swiss law) with experienced CAS advocates and comprehensive linguistic capacity (including English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Mandarin).

Kellerhals Carrard also has a unique and unparalleled insight into the administration and business of sport, and provides ongoing advice to some of the world's leading sports organisations, teams and individuals with respect to their commercial programs (hosting, sponsorship, media, merchandising, licensing, image rights etc.), as well as regulatory and governance issues.

The firm's Sports Law Group includes several Partners and attorneys whose practice is exclusively focused on sports law, and much of the firm's expertise and experience has been gained through the various positions that have been held by its members, including: 

• Director General of the IOC;
• Chairman of the FIFA Reform Committee;
• Secretary General of the CAS;
• Five CAS Arbitrators;
• Two CAS Mediators;
• CAS Legal Counsel;
• Head of CAS Mediation;
• Chairman of the International Cycling Union (UCI) Disciplinary Commission;
• UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector;
• In-house lawyer of a national football association;
• Two FIFA Players' Status Department Legal Counsels;
• Disciplinary Judge of the Swiss Football League;
• Vice-Chairman of the disciplinary chamber of the Swiss Olympic Association in charge of doping cases;
• Vice-Chairman of the Irish Sport Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel;
• Legal and deputy director of a sport marketing agency active in skiing, tennis, golf and cycling;
• Secretary General of an association of sports equipment manufacturers;
• Vice-President of the Swiss Skiing Federation;
• In-house counsel to a luxury brand sponsor of international golf, tennis and equestrian events, and athletes;
• General Counsel and Member of the Management Committee of Ferrari SpA;
• In-house counsel to Scuderia Ferrari Formula One Team;
• Chairman of the America's Cup Arbitration Panel;
• Member of the Appeal Panel of Euroleague Basketball;
• Member of the Ethics Committee of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA);
• Manager of Legal Affairs at a major international Sports Marketing Agency;
• President of a leading professional ice hockey club.

The firm has a wide spectrum of clients, including multisport bodies (such as the International Olympic Committee and the World Anti-Doping Agency), International Federations, National Anti-Doping Agencies, automotive teams and drivers and a host of football federations, clubs, players, agents and investment funds.