Mishcon Sport: Community Action

Mishcon's Sports Group is devoted to supporting the wider sports community, as exemplified by our commitment to a number of pro bono and other similar projects.

Recent highlights include providing free advice to Women in Football (WIF) members who have been subject to discrimination, our work representing high-profile athletes like Azeem Rafiq, appearing on the Sports Resolutions pro bono panel and our support for education charity Football Beyond Borders (FBB) and the UCFB sports student exchange programme.

You can find out more about some of these and our other ongoing projects below.

Our partnership with Women in Football

The firm has worked closely with Women in Football (WIF) and its membership for over five years on a pro bono basis. As part of the formal partnership that we have announced, we provide both WIF and its 6,000 members with free legal support, as well as jointly working on a number of other initiatives to help shine a light on the issues that face women in the game. The firm has recently joined WIF's #GetOnside campaign to support gender equality in the game.

Read here

Women in Football trial, lawyers and barristers

Simon Leaf, Tom Murray and Maria Patsalos with trophy

Sports Masterclass

This is our popular series of events, which combines a Q&A with top athletes, followed by a team challenge within the relevant featured athlete’s sport. Our most recent event saw teams compete in a virtual racing challenge where we were joined by client Alex Albon, a Formula 1 driver. We are proud to have run similar events with other elite professionals across the sporting word, including Nick Compton (cricket), Gail Emms (badminton) and a number of paralympic athletes.

Read here

synthetic green grass and crisp white lines of a football field

Football Beyond Borders

We’re proud to work with Football Beyond Borders, supporting their work with young people from disadvantaged socio-economic areas who are passionate about football but disengaged at school. FBB helps them finish school with the skills and grades to make a successful transition into adulthood, by providing long-term, intensive support, built around their relationships and passions.

Listen here

Anti-semitism in Sport

We were proud to work alongside SIG and Kick It Out in hosting a recent event looking at this issue. During the evening, we were joined by high-profile executives and other stakeholders from across the sports industry to examine this growing problem and agree a plan of action to help root out this evil.

Find out more (kickitout.org)

Sports Law Academy

Mishcon's Sports group is devoted to supporting the wider sports community, as exemplified by our commitment to a number of Pro-Bono and other similar projects.

A learning programme designed for junior lawyers, students and non-legal professionals looking to gain a unique practical insight into contemporary sports law issues.

Visit Sports Law Academy

Azeem Rafiq

Azeem Rafiq became the youngest captain of Yorkshire County Cricket Club in 2012 and was also the first player of Asian origin to take up this mantle. However, Azeem faced significant racial discrimination at Yorkshire, which ultimately led to his cricket career ending prematurely.

In 2020, Azeem spoke out about the racism he and others had suffered at Yorkshire. In 2022 he was the main witness in the disciplinary proceedings brought by the regulator against Yorkshire and seven individuals. Charges against seven of the eight defendants were upheld and Yorkshire admitted to institutional racism.

Visit the Mishcon Academy

"Always available, with a strong knowledge base and understanding."

Chambers and Partners, 2024

"The team is highly experienced and the advice is well delivered, commercial and relatable."

Chambers and Partners, 2024

"Mishcon de Reya has a highly experienced team."

Chambers and Partners, 2024

a shadow of a basketball hoop on a court

"A really outstanding media team, with sports, tech and media at its focus. One of my favourite firms to work with."

Chambers and Partners, 2024

About our Sports Group

Our multi-disciplinary Sports Group has acted on some of the highest profile sports law related matters in recent years. The team is supported by experts from across the firm with a wealth of sports experience in contentious and non-contentious legal matters, including those that specialise in drafting complex and high-value commercial/broadcasting/sponsorship/naming rights contracts, dealing with regulatory issues including FFP related matters, advising on employment matters, brand protection, reputation management, and real estate projects.

We are truly full service when it comes to the world of sports law but have a particular focus on sports technology & data, work for intermediaries and international clients, and advising on disputes & regulatory work.

Sports Technology

We advise on significant sports technology/data matters - especially when it comes to the adoption of blockchain technology, NFTs and fan tokens, where we act for a number of the market leaders.

Intermediaries & International

We act for a diverse range of clients and intermediaries from around the world - around 70% of our work has an international element. We also have long-standing experience working across Europe and more recently in the Middle East.

Disputes & Regulatory

We have worked on some of the biggest disputes and regulatory matters that impact the world of sport, and recently co-authored the chapter on financial regulation in one of the leading sports law textbooks. We work hard to protect our clients and their reputations - as evidenced by the probono work we have undertaken for Azeem Rafiq in connection with the Yorkshire cricket scandal.

Simon Leaf

Partner

Support in the wider sports community