Sectors
Sports Lawyers
Sports law solicitors
We offer legal advice and representation to national governing bodies, international federations, sports clubs, and athletes in any sport, whether amateur or professional.
If you need expert legal advice on a new contract, agent agreement, legal dispute, IP rights, merchandising, sponsorship, broadcasting, or player immigration matters, we can assist you.
We understand the importance of protecting the reputation and interests of those we represent. Everything we do and recommend will be done so with confidentiality and your reputation in mind.
Our sports solicitors can offer a range of strategies to resolve your matter. When it comes to sports law disputes, we are strong advocates for alternative dispute resolution methods in the first instance, as these can lead to amicable resolutions which are realised faster, with less cost, and without long term damage to relationships; a key reason why many clients seek our services.
Our offices are in Sheffield, Birmingham, Cambridge, Manchester and London if you require a face-to-face meeting, but we typically work remotely to keep our overheads low which enables us to offer our innovative pricing packages.
Our services to sports businesses cover
Finding the right legal partner
Why work with Harper James
Choose a legal partner you can trust: we’ll help protect your goals, your business and your people so you can move forward with confidence and focus on growing your business.
Affordable, transparent and predictable pricing
Clear itemised invoices, subscription plans with up to 50% discount, and fixed fee products help you plan and manage legal spend – with no nasty surprises.
Proven track record and measurable results
We’ve supported over 8,000 businesses since 2014, with an ‘Excellent’ rating on Trustpilot and a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 60+ from monthly client surveys.
Straight-talking, responsive advice
We’re here to make things easier, not add complexity. That means fast response times, practical expert legal advice delivered in plain English, and dedicated client service and account management support.
Risk and compliance assured
We’re an SRA regulated firm, but more importantly, we build quality, data, and compliance best practice into everything we do.
Appointing a legal partner is a big decision. That’s why we’re open about our values, culture and model, so you can see what makes us tick. And because a productive partnership starts with understanding, we always begin with a conversation – listening to your goals, pressures and plans, then tailoring our support to fit.
What our sports lawyers do
Our sports law solicitors not only possess expertise in the latest sports law, but also understand the industry; including its structures, regulations, challenges, pressures, trends, and developments. With this knowledge, we provide smart, pragmatic, insightful and tailored law services for any sports industry stakeholder.
Our team is here to help you achieve your ambitions and realise your vision of success. Because we are a full-service law firm, sports teams, clubs, organisations, and individuals who seek our services automatically benefit from our holistic legal expertise in the areas of immigration, commercial and contract law, intellectual property, litigation and contentious disputes, corporate governance and transactions, and employment law.
As a sports law firm, our solicitors can advise and represent you in a wide range of sporting legal matters including:
- sports contracts
- sports agents agreements
- sports contracts disputes and litigations
- sports merchandising/sponsorship, and broadcasting
- sports IP rights
- sports immigration (Tier 2 Sportsperson visas and Tier 5 Temporary Worker – Creative and Sporting visas)
Sports governance matters
Sports governance is particularly robust within the UK and is strictly upheld. We can advise and represent you in relation to any matters involving a sports governing organisation, whether for a specific sport, such as the Football Association, Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), or an overarching body such as the International Olympic Committee (IoC), or the Commonwealth Games Federation. We specialise in resolving complex sports disputes such as complaints, disciplinaries, investigations, and suspensions.
Legal advice for sports clients
Expert drafting of sports agreements
Expert contract/agreement drafting is essential in the sports industry, to ensure the proper protection of individuals, clubs, teams, sponsors and other organisations. By taking the time to draft an agreement which meets both your immediate and longer-term needs, you can be assured that regardless of what then eventuates, all scenarios have been taken into account. We will consider possibilities such as injury, early termination, bonuses, performance, and legal obligations. We can assist with drafting:
- agreements for appearances by players
- agent contracts
- agreements with broadcasters, event managers and promoters
- brand rights
- club and employment contracts
- club constitutions
- columnist’s agreements
- commercial agreements
- endorsement and merchandising agreements
- image rights agreements
- player transfer agreements
- presenter’s agreements
- sponsorship agreements
Testimonials
What our clients say
Sports solicitors with sector expertise
Our senior solicitors have been recruited from top 100 UK law firms or international businesses, and many are passionate sportspeople themselves. Our team comprises multiple practice areas, so whatever legal advice you need, we have a solicitor with the relevant sector experience, able to deal with your needs quickly and cost-effectively.
Our lawyers come with a rich and varied history in sports sector legal advice. Some of their previous work within the sector includes:
- Hiring sports players, particularly football players and motor racing drivers, from overseas
- Resolving director and shareholder disputes for major sports clubs, especially football clubs
- Acting for a global sports equipment company on its commercial partner agreements
- Acting for sports personalities working as ambassadors for large brands
Pricing and service plans
Legal support designed
to fit your business needs
Our three transparent service plans are designed to give you the widest possible access to high-quality legal advice, whatever the size and nature of your business:
Engage
Flexible access to senior solicitors at highly competitive rates
An alternative to our subscription plans, offering access to full service legal expertise on a project-by-project basis.
Enable
Purpose built legal support for start-ups and smaller businesses
Monthly subscription plan for £239 per month, with £159 monthly credit and access to all legal services at 50% discount on our Standard Rates.
Extend
Comprehensive legal partnership for established businesses
Fully account managed and scalable annual subscription plan with support from a curated team of partners and senior solicitors, with up to 33% discount on our Standard Rates.
