Sports Entertainment Law
Astute Legal Solicitors brings together some of the most experienced and talented advisers in the fast-paced and dynamic worlds of sport, media and entertainment.
With a unique breadth and blend of specialist legal expertise, we are unparalleled in the multi-disciplined scope and nature of our offering. Our role is to stay close to the organisation or individual, helping us to understand why things need to be done in a certain way.
Taking a commercial approach at all times, we strive for exceptional client service and client care. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to advise our clients no matter where they are in the world.
We represent a prestigious and broad portfolio of clients, including global events and brands, rights holders, sporting bodies, clubs, sponsors, agents and individual athletes and artists.
Each client looks to us for commercially-effective results delivered through our combination of specialist knowledge, insight and straightforward approach. Many have worked with us for a number of years, trusting the passion, ability, discretion and commitment of our people to support them in realising their goals.
Our aim is simple to enable our clients to focus on what they do best.
Our areas of legal expertise:
- Rights management sponsorship and partner agreements, image rights, terms and conditions, broadcasting, merchandising, endorsements, licensing, website agreements.
- Litigation and dispute resolution – high court litigation, injunctions, contractual disputes, specialist experience in ticketing, phone hacking, privacy and financial miss-selling.
- Venue and event – ambush marketing, ticketing, hospitality, organiser liability, outsourcing contracts (catering, retail, security and stadium supplies).
- Brand protection – clearances, registrations, exploitation and commercialisation to leverage rights, brand abuse audits, monitoring and tackling worldwide brand abuse and IP theft.
- Reputation management-reputation audits, social media management, protecting and managing reputations, stopping and shaping stories, defamation and privacy litigation.
- Event management-onsite assistance during an event to provide lawyer led decision making, liaising with event organisers, partners, local authorities, police, miscreants, members of the public and insurers, developing and implementing anti-infringement programmes, ambush marketing, ticketing, counterfeit merchandise, organiser liability.
- Regulatory- player transfers, reviewing and drafting rules, compliance, data protection, financial fair play.
- Disciplinary- anti-doping, tribunal proceedings.
- Integrity- match fixing awareness, inside information, education and training, risk assessments, betting.
- Governance- internal policies, organisational structures, procedures and protocols.
- Employment- managing performance, restrictive covenants, contracts, high profile disciplinary matters, child protection matters.
- Private client- tax planning, pre-nups, wills and succession planning.
- Corporate and finance- acquisitions and disposals, corporate, admin duties, negotiations with bankers, securitisation of income.
- Criminal – match fixing, doping, police investigations.
- Insurance – fully integrated claims handling from incident through to conclusion, risk profiling