Ian Lynam

Practice Areas

Ian’s practice spans a wide range of transactional and regulatory areas of sports law. He is recognised by the legal directories as a leading “commercial dealmaker” “who has become a clear leader in the UK” and “an excellent lawyer, whose knowledge of the sports industry is unparalleled”.

Ian’s recent work highlights include advising:

• Red Bull on its investment in Leeds United FC;

• Atairos on its investment in Aston Villa FC;

• Michele Kang on her acquisition of London City Lionesses;

• Farhad Moshiri on the sale of Everton FC;

• Chelsea FC on its acquisition by the Boehly/Clearlake consortium;

• Elliott on the sale of AC Milan; and

• Spotify on its partnership with FC Barcelona.

Ian is a contributing author to a number of leading textbooks including “Sport: Law and Practice”, “Football and the Law” and “The Negotiator’s Desk Reference”. He regularly speaks at conferences (including previous MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conferences) and lectures on a number of undergraduate and postgraduate university programmes.

Ian is ranked in the “Hall of Fame” for Sport by Legal 500 and in Band 1 for UK Sport by Chambers and Partners. Ian is also recommended in Who’s Who Legal in the Sports & Entertainment category.

Ian is admitted to practise in England & Wales, Ireland and New York.

Career

2017 – Present: Founding Partner, Northridge Law LLP

2010 – 2017: Partner, Charles Russell Speechlys

2007 – 2010: Associate, Charles Russell Speechlys

2004 – 2007: Associate, Slaughter and May

2003 – 2004: Associate, Arthur Cox (Dublin)

2000 – 2003: Trainee, Arthur Cox (Dublin)

Professional Memberships

Law Society of Ireland

New York State Bar Association

British Association for Sport and Law

Co-chair International Forum of Sports Law