With over 10 years of experience advising and supporting thousands of lawyers and sports executives around the world to help them develop their careers and client base, this AMA (Ask Me Anything) with LawInSport's CEO Sean Cottrell and Director of Editorial, Chris Bond is designed to advise those interested in sports law on how to build their profile through writing articles.

(Plus Membership required)

This interactive webinar is for current and former professional athletes, Olympians and Paralympians thinking about a career in law and wondering how to break into the legal profession. 

Topics

1. When is the right time to start studying law?
2. What are the career options within the legal profession, and specifically sports law? 
3. Do you need to be a qualified lawyer to work in sports law? 
4. How and when should you try and get work experience?
5. How can you leverage your network and sporting experience to create job/career opportunities?
6. What can be some of the unexpected challenges of transitioning into the legal profession from sport? 

Speakers

Gareth Farrelly, a former international football player, lawyer and arbitrator. As a professional football player he represented the Republic of Ireland and played for Premier League sides Aston Villa, Everton and Bolton. Post retirement he retrained as a lawyer and is now a Senior Associate at the law firm Bermans. He is a member of the Football Association’s Judicial Panel. a member of Sports Resolutions’ independent Panel of Arbitrators and Mediators. In 2019 he was appointed as a Court of Arbitration for Sport Arbitrator.

Christine Ohuruogu, former World, Olympic and Commonwealth Champion and Ambassadors for Sporting Equals. Christine recently graduated from Queen Mary University of London with a law degree and was appointed as an arbitrator for Sports Resolutions in 2021. 

The session will be hosted by Sean Cottrell, CEO & Co-Founder of LawInSport. He has over 10 years experience advising and supporting thousands of lawyers,  sports executives and athletes around the world to help them develop their careers and client base.

(Plus Membership required)

This panel explores the different commercial approaches taken across motorsport and the associated legal issues and opportunities this presents. Our speakers on this topic will be:

• Alex Kelham, Partner & Head of Sport, Lewis Silkin

• Neil Magnuson, Media Counsel, NASCAR Media Ventures

• Katie Hoffman, Associate General Counsel, NASCAR

• Robert Cain, Partner and Head of Corporate, Blaser Mills Law

• Jeremy Stone, Senior Legal Counsel, Williams Racing

Our panel will discuss:

• The commercial model for NASCAR - the rights NASCAR retains and how it changes with international competitions.

• How does this contrast with Formula One?

• Some of the challenges that faced regarding brand protection, indemnities, sub-licensing, and so forth?

• How to balance the commercial relationship between drivers, teams and the championships.

(Plus Membership required)

This panel highlights the importance of confidentiality agreements to protect sensitive data being shared and exploited by competitors. Our speakers on this topic will be:

• Mark Buckley, Partner, Fladgate LLP

• Tom Cleeve, Associate, Penningtons Manches Cooper

• David Mitchell, Barrister, 39 Essex Chambers

Our panel will discuss:

• How have teams historically have protected their IP, confidentially information and trade secrets

• The increased investment in motorsport and how it may evolve. 

• How to deal with the issue of trade secrets in driver contracts

(Plus Membership required)

This panel will explore, discuss and debate the different approaches and key developments surrounding the regulatory issues in motorsport. Our speakers on this topic will be:

• Ollie Rumsey, Legal Director, Aston Martin F1 Team

• Jamie Champkin,  Regulatory Counsel and Disciplinary Officer, Motorsport UK

• Jamie Horner, Partner, Keystone Law, Director Arden Racing & the Young Racing Driver Academy (YRDA)

Our panel will discuss:

• How they would describe the regulatory structure of the motorsport industry

• The key regulatory changes that have been introduced over the last season or two

• The regulatory approaches or rules which have made a positive impact on the sector

• Which regulatory areas require reform or could be improved on?

(Plus Membership required)

This panel highlights the increased focus on reducing the cost of participating in motorsport and looks at the changes to regulations and measures implemented by teams to manage costs effectively and meet regulatory requirements. Our speakers on this topic will be:

• Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport

• Joel Cohen, General Secretary, Motorsport UK

• Carl Troman, Barrister, 4 New Square

• Jamie Horner, Partner, Keystone Law, Director Arden Racing & the Young Racing Driver Academy (YRDA)

• Tom de la Mare, Barrister, Blackstone Chambers

Our panel will discuss:

• How effective the cost control measures have been

• What can motorsport learn from other sports such as football and rugby?

• The regulatory approaches or rules which have made a positive impact on the sector

• How do cost control measures address competitive balance and impact issues such as accessibility, diversity and engagement across all levels of motorsport both domestically and internationally?

(Plus Membership required)

This panel will focus on what type of expertise and people are required to run an effective legal team in motorsport, as well as what types of skills may be needed to deal with future developments. Our speakers on this topic will be:

• Carrie Donaghy, Motorsport Legal Director, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team

• Ollie Rumsey, Legal Director, Aston Martin F1 Team

• Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport

Our panel will discuss:

• The different size and structure of the legal teams they have worked in.

• How much of their time is split between the different areas? e.g. commercial, regulatory, employment, etc

• How do they integrate with the wider team?

• What legal areas do they see growing in importance to in-house teams in motorsport?

(Plus Membership required)

Our speakers, Sean Cottrell (CEO) & John Cullen (Director of Recruitment) have reviewed thousands of CV and applications for roles with the leading sports law firms and sports organisations, as well as surveyed HR Directors and Managers in sport and law.

(Plus Membership required)

This AMA (Ask Me Anything) is designed to help people develop the human skills (Simon Sinek), which are often mistakenly referred to as "soft skills". This event is tailored for those working in sport and/or the legal sectors, or who aspire to do so, and want to know how to connect with people, build meaningful relationships remotely and in-person.

Speakers

Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport, has over 10 years of experience advising and supporting thousands of lawyers and sports executives around the world to help them develop their careers. He has helped build the largest community and network of sports lawyers in the world.

Daniel Geey, Partner - Sports Group, Sheridans, helps clients in the sports sector, including rights holders, leagues, governing bodies, clubs, agencies, athletes, sports technology companies, broadcasters and financial institutions. He has significant experience in the football industry and has worked on a variety of club takeovers, high profile transfers, commercial endorsement deals and disputes. He also works in the wider entertainment industry advising on competition and anti-trust matters.

Daniel is a published author of the book Done Deal, and he has successfully built an impressive digital network in the sports sector through building relationships through in person networking and his digital social profiles. 

Cynthia Mumbo, Founder, & CEO, Sports Connect Africa, connecting sports stakeholders in Africa and improving the capacity of sports managers in the continent through workshops, mentorship programs and sports tournaments. Cynthia is also a Member Of The Board Of Advisors, World Football Summit and Former, Executive Committee Member, Kenya Basketball Federation.

(Plus Membership required)

This event will be relevant to lawyers working in-house and in private practice who are looking for advice on how to develop their careers.

Learn how to develop your career from being in private practice to General Counsel in sport in an interactive panel discussion with leading sports lawyers:

Speakers

1. Carrie Donaghy, Motorsport Legal Director at Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team
2. Achta Mahamat Saleh, Director, Legal Affairs & Compliance Division, Confédération Africaine de Football
3. Steve Argeris, Former Vice-President and General Counsel, Tepper Sports (Carolina Panthers and Charlotte MLS 2021
4. Natalie St. Cyr Clarke, Legal Affairs Manager, FIBA
5. Craig Harris, Barrister & Arbitrator, Furnival Chambers

Topics

• How can you overcome obstacles to your career development?
• What are the common mistakes you see from people starting out in sports law
• What can make help you to excel at your work?
• How do important is networking and how do you approach it?
• How can you keep updated on relevant developments both legal, commercial & regulatory relevant to your organization?

For those who are at an earlier stage of their career journey, it may be helpful to join our earlier session at 3pm GMT on 'How to become a sports lawyer - AMA'.

(Plus Membership required)

With over 10 years experience advising and supporting thousands of lawyers and sports executives around the world to help them develop their careers and client base this AMA (Ask Me Anything) with LawInSport's CEO Sean Cottrell and Editorial Director, Chris Bond is designed to help aspiring sports lawyers plan for the future and provide answers to remove barriers to their careers development.

(Plus Membership required)

Our leading industry and legal experts discuss the key legal challenges facing the esport industry worldwide, ranging from governance and player welfare concerns to regulatory issues.

Our speakers for the panel session are:

• Andrew Cooke, General Counsel, Fnatic
• William Deller, Senior Associate, Bird & Bird
• Daniel Kozelko, Barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
• Ian Smith, Commissioner, Esports Integrity Commission 
• Vyte Danileviciute, Principal Counsel, Riot Games 
• Anna Baumann, Executive Vice President Esports at ReKTGlobal and Managing Director and General Counsel, Rogue Sports 

(Plus Membership required)

Our panel of leading experts discuss what lies ahead for sports media and broadcasting, including: current trends in the market, free-to-air broadcasters, over-the-top (OTT) offerings, and the role of new technology and big data.

Speakers:

• Betul Ayranci, former Legal Counsel, Sports Rights & Acquisitions, Europe & Africa, Fox Sports
• Julian Moore, Head of Sport (London), Mills & Reeve LLP
• Andrew Ryan, Managing Director, FIBA Media
• David Murray, Consultant and Former Head Sports Rights at the BBC
• Ross Sylvester​, Partner, Wiggin

The in-house focused panel discuss what legal and governance lessons their organisations and clients have learnt from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speakers:

• Mike​ Herbert, Associate, Northridge Law
• Stephen Taylor Heath, Partner and Head of Sport, JMW Solicitors
• Norman Wain, General Counsel, Chief of Business Affairs at USA Track & Field, Inc
• Ashley Ehlert, Legal Director, International Ice Hockey Federation

(Plus Membership required)

Our expert panel discuss dealing with expert witnesses and the use of hot tubbing in practice.

Speakers:

• Brent Nowicki, Head of Anti-Doping Division, Court of Arbitration for Sport
• Lord Dyson, Arbitrator, Sport Resolution and Court of Arbitration for Sport, Former Master of the Rolls & Justice of the Supreme Court, 39 Essex Chambers
• Hon. Dr Annabelle Bennett, AC, SC, FAA, Arbitrator, Court of Arbitration, Chancellor, Bond University, President, Anti-Discrimination Board and retired Judge of the Federal Court of Australia 
• Jim Bunting, Founding Partner, Tyr LLP and lawyer for Caster Semenya

(Plus Membership required)

Our expert panel discuss how to establish an effective and independent National Sports tribunal.

Speakers:

• Professor Jack Anderson, Director of Studies, Sports Law, Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne 
• Jonathan Bray, Deputy CEO and Registrar, National Sports Tribunal, Australian Government Department of Health
• Catherine Pitre, Head of Case Management, Sport Resolutions

(Plus Membership required)

Identifying and proving contamination sources in anti-doping cases has been something that attracted much discussion and debate. Our expert panel discuss and examine:

• the various possible contamination sources;
• the UFC’s approach to decision limits and decision concentration levels;
• ongoing research and discussions related to threshold and meat contamination; and
• the importance of investigations, qualified expert opinions and testimony.

Our speakers: 

• Jonathan Taylor QC, Head of Sports Group (London), Bird & Bird
• Paul Greene, Sports Lawyer & Founder, Global Sports Advocates
• Jeff Novitzky, Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance, UFC
• Janie Soublière, Principal, Soubliere Sport Law and Arbitrator, Court of Arbitration for Sport, Sport Dispute Resolution Center of Canada, Sport Resolutions and UFC Anti-Doping Panel

(Plus Membership required)

With the drive towards increased transparency and international cooperation to fight corruption in sport, our expert panel discuss:

• the work being undertaken through the International Partnership Against Corruption In Sport (IPACS)
• how athletes are and should be involved;
• how whistleblowers are or could be better protected; and
• how national laws currently assist, or fail to assist, law enforcement and sport organisations combat corruption.

Our speakers: 

• Louis Weston, Barrister, Outer Temple Chambers
• Wayne Barnes, Barrister, Fulcrum Chambers & International Rugby Union Referee
• Ronan O'Laoire, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer at United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
• Donna Bartley, Senior Associate, Morgan Sports Law

(Plus Membership required)

Our expert panel discuss the different types of private equity (PE) investments, notable trends in the wider PE market; why sports organisations are becoming more attractive targets for investment than before; and the benefits and restrictions that come with taking PE investment:

• Nic Couchman, Partner, Head of Sport at Charles Russell Speechlys LLP 

• Peter Hanton, Associate, Clifford Chance LLP and former Secondee at CVC Capital Partners and at Blackstone

• Greg Scott, Senior Associate, Clifford Chance LLP and former Secondee at CVC Capital Partners and at Blackstone

(Plus Membership required)

Our expert panel discuss how the insurance industry is adjusting the demands of the sports sector.

Speakers:

• Joshua Charalambous, Senior Associate, RPC
• James Hands, Head of Sports & Entertainment, Miller Insurance
• Deborah Nicholson, Head of Crime and Regulatory, Markel Law

(Plus Membership required)

The expert panel discuss how tax authorities are changing their approach to sports organisations and athletes.

Speakers:

• Kelly Stricklin-Coutinho, Barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
• Michelle Sloane, Partner, RPC
• Rhys Linnell, Sport & Entertainment Tax Adviser at Saffery Champness LLP
• Mario Tenore, Fiscalista/Tax advisor, Maisto e Associati
• Carlos Carnero, Abogado, Senn Ferrero Asociados Sports & Entertainment

(Plus Membership required)

Our panel explore how financial regulation may evolve resulting in possible introduction of cost controls, such as salary caps, to ensure competitive balance both in a domestic and international context whilst enabling short, medium and long-term sustainable growth.

Speakers:

• Kwadjo Adjepong, Competition Law Expert & Arbitrator, Sport Resolutions
• Benoit Keane, Solicitor & Avocat at Keane Legal
• Noah Croom, Managing Partner, Beautiful Game Group LLC & former Major League Sports Executive
• James Eighteen, Partner, Northridge Law
• Christopher Stoner QC, Barrister, Serle Court

(Plus Membership required)