Thomas Eggar LLP “Kicks Off” Its Specialist Sports Group

Thomas Eggar LLP today announces the launch of a cross-practice specialist sports team. The firm has drawn upon its strength in areas such as corporate finance, intellectual property, employment, dispute resolution and private client to provide a holistic service for any organisation (and individual) involved in the business of sport. 
 
Thomas Eggar LLP has extensive knowledge and experience of the sports market and recent experience has seen the firm advising Milan Mandaric on the takeover of Leicester City Football Club plc and, in one of the most high profile deals on the high street, advising Sports World International Ltd on acquisition of Field & Trek (UK) Ltd.  On the private client side, members of the team regularly advise Premiership footballers and international cricketers on matters such as property portfolio management, family disputes and estate planning.
 
The appointments of Nicola Plant, partner, and more recently Richard Hastings, partner, have added to the firm’s established capabilities in the sports sector. Nicola has built a strong practice acting for a wide range of sports personalities across the range of private client issues while Richard has a wealth of experience that includes advising on the running of the fifaworldcup.com website, including associated multi-million sponsorship agreements, and advising O2 on all aspects of their sponsorship of English Rugby and individual players.  He is also an FA registered football agent.
 
Newbury office partner Garrath Reayer, Michael Taylor, tax and trust manager, Andrew Nixon, dispute resolution associate and Udo Onwere, private client solicitor, make up the core team who all receive specialist support from the firm’s practice groups.  Garrath has built up a high-end residential property practice where a large number of sports personalities are represented by the firm.  Udo is one of fewer than ten ex-professional footballers (ex-Chelsea and Fulham) to have qualified as a lawyer and currently in private practice. 
 
Through Udo’s connections the firm now represents a number of premiership and international players.  He is also an FA registered football agent.  Michael has built a strong reputation for advising on personal tax work for a number of premiership footballers and international cricketers while Andrew has extensive experience of advising on contractual and commercial claims as well as arbitration and all forms of dispute resolution, including mediation.
 

Nicola Plant comments: “The creation of this group recognises that we have the range of expertise within the firm that addresses all the needs of both the commercial sports organisation and the individual sportsperson, coupled with a group of lawyers that genuinely understand the business of sport.  

That business aspect of sport has never been more crucial to the sector, from the protection of a club or individual’s image rights or the multi-million pound acquisition of a high street sports retailer, to the planning of a sports personality’s estate and family affairs or the expansion of his/her own property portfolio.  The sports industry demands that its advisers are immersed in the sector and our sports group are just that; they have a genuine passion and enthusiasm, are totally at ease with its nuances and able to field technically excellent lawyers who are sports specialists.”