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Mills & Reeve LLP

Sport

UK Guide 2026 : UK-wide

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Mills & Reeve LLP

Rankings

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Sport - UK-wide

Band 2

What the Team is Known For

Mills & Reeve has a notable sports practice with an outstanding offering in football. It frequently represents individual players in contract negotiations, disciplinary hearings and high-profile employment disputes, including discrimination claims. Well known for representing professional footballers in the set-up of image rights agreements, and regularly represents players from overseas playing for English clubs. Noted for the strength of its presence in women's sport. Strong focus on significant doping cases arising in football.

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Work Highlights

Provided by Chambers

  • Mills & Reeve advised the International Paralympic Committee on a range of commercial, sponsorship, media and broadcasting matters, largely in the lead up to and delivery of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • Very commercial and realistic in terms of advice, they get the industry and have seen it all before. No query is new to them, and they are comfortable going forward with anything.

    Sport respondentUK

  • I appreciate their closeness to ever-changing regulations. The firm is excellent at being at the cusp of changes in the latest regulations, with an excellent turnaround time.

    Sport respondentUK

  • Mills & Reeve has been an invaluable partner. Their deep understanding of the industry, combined with their flexibility and consistently prompt service, makes them trusted and reliable.

    Sport respondentUK

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Carol Couse
    Carol Couse

    Carol Couse

    Carol Couse is a Manchester-based sports solicitor with a strong football practice. She primarily advises sports clubs and athletes on disciplinary proceedings and regulatory matters.

    • Carol is really knowledgeable for sports matters.

      Sport respondentUK

    • Her client management is excellent and she's a leader in the industry. She is very responsive and extremely accommodating whenever you have a query.

      Sport respondentUK

    • Carol is very helpful with building networks in the industry, and is an extremely good facilitator and manager of clients. We dealt with very complicated stuff.

      Sport respondentUK
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  • Mark Hovell
    Mark Hovell

    Mark Hovell

    Mark Hovell is held in high regard for the depth of his expertise as a sports arbitrator, with extensive experience of acting as an arbitrator at CAS.

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  • John Shea
    John Shea

    John Shea

    John Shea is a principal associate in the sports business team at Lewis Silkin. He has considerable experience advising clients on sports investments, disciplinary proceedings and player contracts.

    • John is a trusted and valued advocate for our organisation.

      Sport respondentUK

    • John is a safe pair of hands.

      Sport respondentUK
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  • Philip Hutchinson
    Philip Hutchinson

    Philip Hutchinson

    Philip Hutchinson is a principal associate in the Mills & Reeve sports team. He is adept at assisting professional associations, sports clubs and individual athletes with regulatory and contentious issues and has a particular focus on the football industry.

    • There's already a lot of trust in him. He and the sports team have been brilliant for us over the last few years.

      Sport respondentUK
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Ranked Individuals at Mills & Reeve LLP (4)

UK-wide

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