Sport is one of our fastest-growing practice areas, dovetailing with the firm’s leading presence in media and entertainment. The Sport team’s lawyers are drawn from a diverse range of practice areas including Corporate and Commercial, Technology and IP.
We act for many high-profile sporting clients, ranging from individual athletes and sports agents to clubs and governing bodies across a variety of sports, including football, rugby, squash, horse racing, eventing, hockey, and mixed martial arts.
We advise on a wide variety of disputes in sport, including commercial, regulatory and disciplinary issues. Examples of our work in these areas includes advising:
We offer a discreet, co-ordinated crisis management service. For allegations which are criminal, we establish an immediate dialogue with the police and/or whichever supervisory authority is involved.
We attend immediately and in person at the point of arrest, interview or other police involvement.
When necessary we engage with PR professionals to keep an allegation or the client’s name out of the public domain.
Our lawyers have been involved in:
We advise a wide range of players and athletes on the commercialisation of their talent and image, and protection of their privacy and reputation. Our work includes:
We also provide specialist sports immigration services for sporting clubs, agents and individual players and coaching staff. Our team has an excellent understanding of the UK’s points-based immigration system and can assist with a variety of immigration matters such as:
We advise sports federations, agencies, broadcasters and digital platforms on all aspects of the creation, acquisition and exploitation of sports media rights and data rights.
We are often engaged by rights holders to advise on market conditions for and prior to the sale of rights and have extensive experience of running successful high-profile auctions in the UK and overseas.
Notable work includes:
Our Corporate and Employment teams advise sports industry clients on all aspects of their businesses. Advice we have provided includes:
Our team acts for a range of clients in sport relating to sponsorship, endorsement agreements, event production, and the protection and exploitation of intellectual property rights.
Experience includes:
‘We use the firm as a professional advisor as well as a law firm. The vast industry experience make them extremely knowledgeable about the industry.’ Legal 500, 2021
“The team has a breadth of experience across a number of fields of litigation…” Legal 500, 2021
“The team has a breadth of experience across a number of fields of litigation, including employment law, meaning they are an up-and-coming force in sports law.” Legal 500, 2020
‘Simons Muirhead Burton has provided occasional support and legal advice to our business. It is a responsive and professional firm in the areas of media and sport and keeps up to date with the ever-changing demands of this sector. As a smaller firm, we have enjoyed the personalised, friendly, and uncomplicated legal services provided. I would continue to use their services as required.’
Legal 500, 2025