Challenging Sports Governing Bodies

Nick is ranked as one of the leading Sports law barristers and the foremost practitioner in football disputes. He acts for football clubs, federations, players, and agents in commercial and regulatory disputes before FIFA, CAS and various domestic forums. He has appeared in most recent high-profile cases in football in the UK and has a significant international sports practice. In cricket, boxing and sailing he acts for the regulator, and, in other sports, sits as an arbitrator. He writes and lectures on sports law.

James Segan KC, Blackstone Chambers, UK

James is recognised as a leading advocate in a total of nine practice areas. He was recently named one of the “Hot 100” lawyers in the UK in 2023 by The Lawyer magazine. Appointed to Queen’s Counsel in March 2020 at the age of just 38, he has argued cases at all levels of the judicial hierarchy, including in the UK Supreme Court.

James appears and advises in sports law matters both commercial and regulatory. He is often instructed in disciplinary hearings and has appeared for a number of different governing bodies including in football, rugby union, cricket and horse racing. James is recognised as a leading practitioner in the field.

Adam Lewis KC, Blackstone Chambers, UK

Adam is recognised as the leading expert on sports law at the Bar, and is ranked as the only Star Individual in this area. His sports law work covers the full range from the legality of governing bodies’ rules and actions to disciplinary and drugs-related work, and from player/club disputes to the commercial exploitation of sport through broadcasting, sponsorship and merchandising. He has acted in many of the leading sports cases before the English courts, domestic arbitral tribunals, and the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and he sits as an arbitrator in sports cases.

Jonathan Taylor KC, Partner, Bird & Bird, UK

Jonathan is co-head of Bird & Bird’s International Sports Group. He has been ranked as a leading sports law practitioner for many years, and advises nationally and internationally on cutting-edge commercial, regulatory, and contentious issues across all major sports. He was the chair of WADA’s independent Compliance Review Committee from 2016-2020 and of the IBU External Review Commission from 2018-2020, as well as conducting both the Governance Review and the Bury FC Review for the English Football League in 2019. He has appeared regularly before the Court of Arbitration for Sport and other sports tribunals, including appearing for the international federation in landmark cases.