Sam Pawson

Practice Areas

Sam Pawson is a Partner and Head of Employment at Chadwick Lawrence LLP, based at the Leeds office.

In his role as Head of Employment at Chadwick Lawrence, Sam Pawson brings deep employment-law expertise together with a strong credentials in sports law and across a number of other industry sectors including manufacturing, construction and social housing.

He leads the team behind one of the region’s most robust employment-law retainer services, drives innovation in employer support/training, and positions the firm as a go-to adviser for the sporting sector on HR, contracts and regulation. His combination of technical depth, leadership, business development acumen and community-sport engagement positions him as a key figure in both the employment-law and sports-law landscapes in the North and beyond.

Background & specialisms

• Sam heads the firm’s employment-support retainer service, known as BoxHR, which provides unlimited access to qualified employment law advisers for clients across sectors.

• Key technical focus areas include:

o TUPE transfers and service provision changes

o Redundancies and workforce restructures

o Discrimination, grievances and employment tribunal strategy

o Sports-law support for professional and semi-professional clubs (player contracts, disciplinary issues, HR/compliance in sport) Chadwick Lawrence+1

• In addition to client work, Sam oversees marketing initiatives for the employment team and is a regular speaker at seminars and events, and hosts the department’s weekly podcast, the Legal Alternative.

• Sam is Chair of Trustees for Aspire Community Benefits Society, a sports enthusiast (marathons, football, rugby, cricket) and is a driving force in the firm’s pro-sport partnerships.

Training collaborations & thought-leadership

• Under Sam’s leadership, the employment team at Chadwick Lawrence has further grown its training and HR support offering via BoxHR. In 2024 the team expanded with new hires as part of its 20th anniversary of the service, and Sam commented on the importance of fresh perspectives to future-proof client support.

• He is quoted publicly on the long-term retention of BoxHR clients (90% retention rate) and how training, awareness and proactive legal guidance underpin the employment offering.

• Sam takes a lead role in client-facing training/seminars: for example, speaking at a salary-guide launch event hosted by the firm.

• Through his sports-law remit he supports legal education within sporting clubs (for HR and regulatory compliance) linked to his employment law expertise—highlighting a cross-discipline training role.

Sports law & industry partnerships

• Sam plays a key role in Chadwick Lawrence’s expanding sports-law infrastructure: the firm has been appointed legal partner to clubs such as Barnsley FC (football(, Doncaster Rovers (football), Wakefield Trinity and Castleford Tigers (Super League) for 2025/26 and 2026/27 seasons, covering player and staff contracts, HR/employment compliance and immigration/visa support. Sam commented:

“Our partnership with Castleford Tigers marks an exciting step in our growing involvement in professional sport …It also reflects our commitment to supporting the sporting and wider business community in the North.”

• The sports-law work features advising clubs on regulatory matters, employment/HR infrastructure, contracts, disciplinary processes, all backed by Sam’s employment law foundation.

• Sam’s trustee role at Aspire and his own sporting interests underscore his embedded understanding of sport from both legal and practical perspectives.

Key work highlights

• BoxHR service leadership: Sam has overseen the 20-year milestone of the BoxHR retainer service, one of the largest employment-law retainer arrangements in the region, boasting a 90% client-retention rate and covering a broad industrial base including manufacturing and professional sport.

• Sports-club legal partnerships: Instrumental in the firm’s appointment to act as official legal partner to Castleford Tigers, Wakefield Trinity, Barnsley FC and Doncaster Rovers for 2025-26, expanding the firm’s sports-law client roster across multiple professional rugby league clubs.

• Team growth & innovation: Under Sam’s stewardship the employment team has expanded in head-count and scope, integrating training and marketing initiatives to bolster the firm’s employment law proposition.

• Firm-wide accreditation achievements: Sam was a key contributor to the firm’s journey to full accreditation by Investor in Customers (IIC) and the retention of Lexcel status. On achieving IIC Gold, Sam commented on the teamwork and client-feedback focus involved.

• Community & trustee work: As Chair of Trustees of Aspire Community Benefits Society, Sam has engaged in community-sport partnerships such as sponsoring disability-tag-rugby events and leveraging his position to align the firm’s legal-sport offering with social impact.

Why Sam stands out

• Sam’s dual specialism in employment law and sports law gives him a distinctive niche — able to advise both businesses and sports-organisations on workforce issues, contracts, regulatory risk and restructuring.

• His leadership of a retainer model (BoxHR) demonstrates both strategic thinking (commercial model) and practical service delivery (employment-law support to diverse clients).

• He combines subject-matter expertise with a visible market presence (speaking, podcasts, events) and community engagement — enhancing the firm’s brand and his personal profile.

• His work in sport reflects not only legal expertise but a genuine connection to sporting culture and governance, making him especially effective where legal-HR issues intersect with sport.