Kings Chambers

The type of work undertaken by Kings Sport’s members includes:

• Breach of confidentiality and breach of privacy including injunctions against newspapers
• Contractual negotiations and disputes
• Commercial agreements – including funding, merchandising and sponsorship
• Corporate matters including takeovers, public offerings, debt restructuring and bankruptcy, or the securing and structuring of credit
• Defamation – including privacy and defamation
• Disciplinary and regulatory proceedings before national and international governing bodies
• Discrimination
• Drugs in sport – appearing before the National Anti-Doping Panel and advising on compliance with WADA Code
• Employment disputes – in the High Court, Employment Tribunal and before arbitral tribunals
• Gambling – advising clubs and players on their duties under match-fixing regulations
• High Court challenges to the decisions of governing bodies
• Image Rights – sale and protection
• Injunctions – against governing body decisions and to prevent unlawful dismissal
• Insolvency matters
• Intellectual property including image rights, trademark infringement and breach of copyright
• Immigration and Nationality advice and assistance for sports professionals and Clubs
• Licensing issues
• Personal injury – competitors being injured as consequence of negligence by governing bodies, referees, other competitors etc.
• Planning issues
• Player transfers – negotiating and drafting contractual terms
• Restraint of Trade
• Reputation management
• Sales of Goods Act disputes in relation to the sale of horses
• Sale and Purchase of Clubs/Sporting Venues 
• Wealth management issues including company, insolvency and trusts

Kings Sport also has experience of dealing with legal issues in the context of e-Sports.

Members of the Kings Sport team regularly appear before sporting disciplinary and appeals panels, as well in the High Court and before arbitral tribunals. This includes proceedings before the Court of Arbitration for Sport and FIFA’s Player Status Committee and Dispute Resolution Chamber.

Whilst much of what we do is covered by the cloak of confidentiality, members of Kings Sport have been involved in cases involving the BBBC; the FA; the LTA; the Premier League; the RFL; the RFU; Cardiff City FC; Chelsea FC; Crystal Palace FC; Everton FC; Manchester City FC; Manchester United FC; Swansea City AFC; Newcastle United FC; West Bromwich Albion FC; Leicester Tigers RFC; Sale Sharks RFC; Bradford Bulls RLFC; Toronto Wolfpack RLFC; Chester Racecourse; Archery GB; British Cycling; the PFA; the RLPA; the FSF; and many others.

Kings Sport’s members have also been appointed to Sport Resolutions Arbitrations Panel; the National Anti-Doping Panel; the Football Association Judicial Panel and the EFL Dispute Resolution Commission, as well as chairing disciplinary panels for the FA, the ECB; British Cycling; England Boxing and British Gymnastics.

Members of the Kings Sport team also accept appointments to sit as arbitrators and have experience of a wide variety of arbitral rules and procedures.

Kings Planning team can also offer an enviable depth of experience in relation to sports related developments. From the promotion of major Premier League stadia down to the protection of local sports grounds, members of Kings Sport are able to draw on that depth of experience to provide advice on major and minor development projects, both at the planning application stage and on appeal, High Court challenges as well as registration of Assets of Community Value.

Sports specialism: Football, Athletics, Boxing, Cricket, Cycling, Darts, e-Sports, Equestrian, Golf, Horseracing, Motorsport, Olympic Sports, Rugby (League and Union), Snooker, Swimming, Tennis

Areas of Expertise

Commercial
Real Estate & Stadiums, Insurance, Competition/Antitrust, Contract Drafting, Contract Negotiations, European Union law, Licensing, Media, Privacy and Confidentiality, Private Client, Sponsorship Agreements.

Corporate
Corporate Structuring, Acquisitions and Financing, Insolvency & Restructuring, Governance

Employment
Employment & Incentives, Health & Safety, Immigration, Player-Agent Cases, Player Contracts

Integrity
Anti-Corruption, Anti-Doping, Betting & Gaming

Intellectual Property
Patents, Merchandise, Copyright, Image Rights, Media Rights - Fair Use,

Litigation
Appeals, Arbitration, Defamation, Dispute Resolution, European Advocacy, Mediation, Reputation Management, Personal Injury, Press Publication Concerns, Professional Negligence, Regulatory, Data Protection, Disciplinary, Banking & Finance, Financial, Regulation, Freedom of Information, Judicial Review