Julian Diaz-Rainey

Julian is a leading figure in the field of corporate, commercial and sports disputes. He has a wealth of experience acting for clients in relation to contractual disputes, investigations, and public inquiries. Julian has over 20 years’ experience in sports related litigation, arbitration, governance and regulation. He has worked across multiple sports in assessing and establishing due process including football, motor racing, athletics, horse racing, cricket and rugby league. He has dealt with high profile cases that attracted considerable public interest in the national and international media. As head of our sports governance team, he has worked for national governing bodies (such as the EFL), and for organisations including UK Sport, and the Jockey Club. He has also challenged international and national governing bodies such as FIFA, UEFA, The FA and the ECB. Fluent in Spanish, Julian works extensively on a domestic and international basis. He is entrusted by clients with highly sensitive investigations and also those with significant media interest. Julian has used his forensic skills as part of the Shipman inquiry team and in representing five soldiers (three of whom are vital witnesses and core participants) in the Baha Mousa Inquiry. He also co-lead a team in the Al-Sweady Inquiry. Julian has extensive experience in obtaining and defending worldwide freezing orders, asset disclosure orders, gagging orders, search and seize orders, third party/Norwich Pharmacal orders and delivery of passport orders. Julian also has experience in acting as a supervising solicitor.

2019 to present – Pinsent Masons LLP, Head of Corporate Litigation and Global Head of Sports Disputes;

2012 to present – Pinsent Masons LLP, Partner