Alistair Brownlee — lessons in athlete welfare
We sat down with double Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee MBE to discuss athlete welfare.
Sports Lawyers
Our award-winning sports law team contains highly experienced, specialist legal advisers who truly understand the sports environment.
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Our specialist and multi-award-winning sports law team is recognised nationally and internationally as one of the largest and most experienced multidisciplinary legal teams in the industry. As a law firm, we've acted in many of the leading cases that have helped to shape the current sports law landscape.
Renowned for a variety of high-end work — ranging from advising on the acquisition of football clubs in administration to acting for prominent public figures in crisis management matters — we serve an exceptional client base that includes elite sports clubs, national governing bodies, international federations and large sports agencies both throughout the UK and around the world, as well as high-profile individuals across the sector on a range of sporting, commercial and private client legal matters.
The business of sport has become increasingly sophisticated. To increase revenue generation and commercial sustainability, there’s a need to be on top of complex commercial contracts, sponsorship deals, brand protection, major events, fan and membership engagement, equality, diversity and inclusion, athlete performance, data and technology adoption such as artificial intelligence.
We have a respected and well-known reputation for our work in these areas and have acted in many of the leading cases that have helped shape the current sports law landscape. Renowned for a variety of high-end work — ranging from advising on the acquisition of football clubs in administration to acting for prominent public figures in crisis management matters — we serve an exceptional client base that includes National Governing Bodies, elite sports clubs, International Federations and large sports agencies throughout the UK and around the world, as well as high-profile individuals on a range of private client, commercial and sporting matters.
Accredited, award-winning sports law team
We’re highly experienced and specialised legal advisers who truly understand the sports environment.
Our 35-strong team works across multiple practice areas, which enables us to provide a truly holistic legal service. We’ll apply our vast sector knowledge and experience to help you achieve your vision and goals. We’ll also be by your side as you face challenges, providing practical and cost-effective advice and support.
As a firm, we're ranked in the top tier of The Legal 500 for sports law and commended in The Times Best Law Firms 2024. We're also proud to be appointed members of the Sport Resolutions Pro Bono Service, which provides pro bono legal advice and assistance to athletes and individuals of limited financial means.
Many of our sports specialists are continuously ranked in professional guides as leading individuals in their fields (including in The Legal 500) and appear as regular commentators on legal issues in sport, featuring in national and regional press as well as on radio and television.
Some also possess sport accreditations and sit on external national panels for matters such as dispute resolution, arbitration, safeguarding and equality, diversity and inclusion.
Trusted independent external advisors to:
Meet our expert sports lawyers
Our team is led by highly experienced employment lawyer Lydia Edgar. Lydia is recognised as a Leading Partner in The Legal 500 and an expert in the area of safeguarding. She advises sports governing bodies, international federations, county associations, clubs, athletes and players across a wide range of sporting disciplines on HR strategy planning, executive appointments and terminations, restructuring, Employment Tribunal and High Court litigation.
She's supported by many other specialists, including corporate lawyer Ruth Hargreaves, who leads our national governing bodies group. With well over a decade’s experience in working closely with NGBs, Ruth primarily advises on constitutional and corporate governance matters but also supports a range of sports clients on acquisitions, mergers, disposals and investments.
Andrew McGregor leads our football team and is a longstanding trusted advisor to many high-profile clients in the football market and beyond. He is recognised as a Next Generation Partner in The Legal 500 and advises governing bodies, associations, organisations and sports agencies — as well as Premier League and English Football League clubs, managers, coaches, athletes and players — on a range of contentious and non-contentious issues. He's also experienced at advising on football regulations and the content of football-related contractual documentation, including domestic and international transfer agreements.
Catherine Forshaw leads our focuses on rugby on women in sport. The Legal Representative and Chair on a number of national governing body eligibility and inclusion panels that deal specifically with the inclusion of transgender athletes in sport, Catherine handles contentious and non-contentious regulatory, safeguarding, athlete eligibility, anti-doping and general commercial litigation matters. She's also a qualified UK Anti-doping Accredited Advisor and member of the EFL's Together Advisory Panel, which guides its work on equality, diversity and inclusion.
Recognised as a top-tier firm in The Legal 500 2025
“Acting on some of the UK’s most high-profile casework propelled Brabners to post its sixth consecutive year of growth... its sports law team has acted for Coleen Rooney in the now infamous 'Wagatha Christie' libel case and England cricket captain Ben Stokes and supported several infrastructure projects in keeping with the national focus on levelling up, including Everton Football Club’s new 53,000-seater stadium.”
The Times Best Law Firms 2024
“Brabners maintains its stellar reputation for handling the full scope of sports mandates concerning sporting events, the eligibility and inclusion of transgender athletes and claims involving racism charges and libel.”
The Legal 500 2025
“We’ve worked with Brabners since 2019 for our dedicated Legal & Tax helpline. Brabners has provided excellent management of the helpline, offering our LTA Registered Venues and County & Island Associations access to legal advice from an extremely knowledgeable and experienced team. During this time, Brabners provided an invaluable service throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to work with us to add value to the services the LTA provides.”
Club and County Support Manager, Lawn Tennis Association
“Lydia Edgar leads the [sport] team, and is noted for her vast knowledge of the employment aspects of sport, assisting national governing bodies (NGB), owners and athletes with appointments and exit agreements.”
The Legal 500 2025
“Catherine Forshaw is a key name for both union and league rugby clients, and is known for her strong focus on UK FA and RFL anti-doping disciplinary proceedings and Safeguarding Commission proceedings.”
Legal 500 2025
“Andrew McGregor has excellent instincts and a skill for getting to grips with the key issues in a matter — very client-friendly, with excellent connections in professional football, which help reassure clients.”
The Legal 500 client feedback 2025
“Market-leading firm for sports law work.”
The Legal 500 client feedback 2025
A full-service, independent sports law firm
Our multidisciplinary sports law offering enables clients to access the widest range of specialist solicitors.
With strong relationships and unique sector experience, we provide a tailored, responsive and commercially-driven service to clients right across the high-pressure, fast-paced sports industry. This includes teams, owners, sportspeople, NGBs, leagues, agents, players’ unions, charities, media, publishers, sports technology companies and more.
- Anti-doping
- Arbitrations and committees
- Banking and finance
- Betting and integrity
- Charity
- Commercial & contract law
- Corporate law (mergers and acquisitions)
- Crime
- Crisis and reputation management
- Data
- Defamation, privacy and harassment
- Disciplinary
- Eligibility, selection and participation
- Employment law
- Equality, diversity and inclusion
- Funding
- Governance and constitution
- Health and safety
- Immigration
- Intellectual property and brand protection
- Litigation
- Media management
- Professional negligence
- Property and construction
- Real estate
- Regulatory and professional conduct
- Reputation and crisis management
- Safeguarding
- Sponsorship agreements and contracts
- Sports rules and regulations
- Sports technology
- Sustainability
- Tax
Our sports law specialists
Brabners is a purpose-led independent law firm.
Our independence allows us to be objective, principled and provide a service with heart and character.
We’re on a mission to make the difference for our clients, people and communities. Proudly anchored in the North since 1815, we serve all of England and Wales.
Northern Ambition
The collaborative network for purpose-led businesses. We’re building a more sustainable and innovative tomorrow.
Sustainable Business
In 2022, we proudly became the UK’s largest law firm (and the first outside London) to become B Corp certified.
Community Impact
We channel the energy of our public-spirited people and clients towards improving our local communities.
Expert sports law insights
Qualified UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) Accredited Advisor Catherine Forshaw and William Hardwick explain the controversies surrounding Sinner’s tests, clearances and appeals.
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Could a change in mindset from directors of struggling clubs and governing bodies be the key to saving rugby? Our sports law team explores.
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130 football stars have signed an open letter urging football’s governing body FIFA to reconsider its lucrative sponsorship deal with Aramco for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
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We caught up with Rezzil’s Co-Founder Andy Etches to discuss the legal challenges he faced while setting up and scaling the business.
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In HMRC v PGMOL, the Supreme Court's judgment has undermined the significance of mutuality of obligation as a legal and practical factor when assessing employment status.
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Our sports technology team scan the horizon of technological development and outline the key legal considerations that sports regulators, governors and organisations must address at the outset of digital transformation.
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We spoke with Rezzil's founder Andy Etches to find out how virtual technology may be increasingly used in injury prevention, treatment and recovery.
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We discuss the initiatives in place for female athletes at Paris 2024 and the importance of this milestone for women in sports.
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We explain how PSR actually works and explore the most recent means of navigating it, including new loopholes like ‘swap’ deals.
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