Kingsley Napley has a long history of representing high profile individuals, teams and regulators within the sports industry. Our top-ranked lawyers from across 11 practice areas offer a full range of contentious and non-contentious legal services for sports people and bodies, meaning that all legal requirements can be managed by one high-performing and discreet team of lawyers who are as passionate about sport as they are law.
Our clients tell us that our ability to quickly compile a trusted team of lawyers across various practice areas to specifically suit their (often urgent) requirements is a significant competitive strength.
Few law firms can compete with Kingsley Napley’s established legal enterprise for those in the sports industry – either in terms of breadth of offering or quality of service. Whether our clients are seeking legal advice regarding sports and media contracts, regulatory issues, employment, reputation, tax, criminal or family issues, our lawyers offer unrivalled expertise. We are involved in cases regarding a wide range of sports and our proven record specifically includes:
- Motor racing
- Football
- Equestrian sports and breeding
- Hockey and Ice Hockey
- Basketball
- Gambling
- Anti-doping
- Sports and media rights
- e-Sport
recent work
- Acting for internationally famous motor racing drivers in respect of all aspects of their career including their contracts with their racing teams, media rights, regulatory matters and any personal issues arising.
- Acting for a prominent international footballer in respect of negotiations and finalisation of his contract with his premier league club.
- Acting for well-known football agencies in respect of their contracts with their footballers.
- Acting for football managers and footballers in respect of disciplinary proceedings.
- Acting for footballers, football agents and managers in respect of FA Rule K Arbitration proceedings.
- Acting for sporting professionals (most recently footballers and Olympic athletes) in confidential and sensitive divorce proceedings and in respect of financial arrangements for children.
- Acting for high profile sporting individuals in respect of high value residential sales and purchases.
- Acting for directors and boards of leisure and sports companies to help them meet their safeguarding and regulatory obligations.
- Acting for sporting professionals in respect of UK anti-doping procedures.
- Acting for regulatory bodies in respect of matters concerning their functions and operations, including disciplinary schemes and good governance arrangements.
- Acting for regulatory bodies in the drafting of their rules and regulations.
In the press
- 17 Nov 2017: New Law Journal – Ryan Mowat nominated for “Legal Personality of the Year Award”
- 16 Nov 2017: The Times: Ryan Mowat recognised as Lawyer of the Week
- 26 October 2017: Ryan Mowat and Katherine Pymont write for the Law Society Gazette: No place at the table for an honest cheat
- 26 October 2017: The Independent: Poker player loses £7.7 million in winnings after Supreme Court rules he cheated
- 25 October 2017: BBC News: Poker player Phil Ivey loses £7.7m casino case
- 3 Feb 2016: The Guardian: Sports Direct abandons legal case against Rangers
What clients and directories say
Ryan Mowat 'loves nothing better than turning a difficult case into a winner'"
Legal 500 UK, 2019
Covering 'a broad range of sports work', the team at Kingsley Napley LLP has 'a very deep understanding of the sector'"
Legal 500 UK, 2019
Group head Sue Thackeray has 'an unrivalled knowledge of motorsports', and 'marries a broad legal knowledge with a disarming manner – the other side doesn't know it's been hit 'til it's on the floor'"
Legal 500 UK, 2019
No-nonsense"
Legal 500 UK, 2019
Sandra Paul
Criminal Litigation
Criminal Defence and Police Investigations
Sexual Misconduct in the Workplace
Partner
Jemma Brimblecombe
Dispute Resolution
Partner
Melanie Hart
Dispute Resolution
Partner
Ryan Mowat
Dispute Resolution
Partner
Connie Atkinson
Family and Divorce
Partner
Will MacFarlane
Family and Divorce
Partner
Katie Newbury
Immigration
Partner
James Ward
Private Client
Partner and Head of Department
Bethan Owen
Real Estate
Partner and Head of Department
Melinka Berridge
Regulatory
Partner and Head of Department