Sport
UK Guide 2025 : UK-wide
Band 4
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
020 7006 1000Chambers Review
Clifford Chance is a respected firm with an accomplished sports law practice that focuses on handling significant contentious mandates. The team is particularly adept at assisting clients with regulatory and commercial claims, including business interruption and sponsorship disputes, as well as anti-doping and abuse cases in the industry. It has noteworthy strengths in football and athletics, and regularly acts for sports clubs and sporting event organisers.
Work Highlights
- Clifford Chance represented Manchester City Football Club in proceedings against the Premier League arising from a Premier League investigation into compliance with its rules.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Every Clifford Chance team member at every level is professional, efficient and adds tremendous value to our work. Rapid and considered responses are standard."
"They offered a firm, innovative and inclusive approach designed to take account of the interests of all parties and act in our best interest."
"The team offers very diligent advice, simplification of complex issues for non-technical stakeholders, and a balance between legal and commercial drivers."
"They were exceptional in a number of critical aspects in our highly nuanced and complex matter - in terms of tactics, knowledge base and legal agility. A very impressive team."
"Every Clifford Chance team member at every level is professional, efficient and adds tremendous value to our work. Rapid and considered responses are standard."
"They offered a firm, innovative and inclusive approach designed to take account of the interests of all parties and act in our best interest."
"The team offers very diligent advice, simplification of complex issues for non-technical stakeholders, and a balance between legal and commercial drivers."
"They were exceptional in a number of critical aspects in our highly nuanced and complex matter - in terms of tactics, knowledge base and legal agility. A very impressive team."
Notable Practitioners
Christopher Yates is a sports lawyer with a strong contentious practice that covers the full gamut of commercial and regulatory disputes in the sector. He regularly advises sports clubs and event organisers in relation to sponsorship, broadcasting and branding disputes.
"Chris is an exemplary partner to our organisation and adds real value to our team."
"Christopher Yates is excellent - he is very easy to work with, has great tactical sense and is great with clients."
"A very impressive operator. He is tactically astute and has a very sharp legal mind."
James Cranston is a partner with noteworthy experience representing clients in commercial and regulatory disputes in the sports sector. He is particularly adept at assisting with cases relating to cricket, football and athletics.
"James is absolutely outstanding - terrifically clever and really astute tactically. A superstar in the making."
"James is solution-oriented and a joy to work with."