Sports Law

Practical, helpful, informed advice in all aspects of law relating to sport

Sport

Specialist legal advice for sports people, regulatory bodies, clubs and associations agents/intermediaries and advisers.

Bermans provide a variety of contentious and non-contentious legal services to the sports sector, including the following areas of sport:

Boxing
Cricket
Darts
Football
Golf
Rugby
Snooker
Tennis

As a full service law firm, our team is able to provide advice and support, whatever your legal need may be with expert advice from our experienced solicitors.

We understand that sport is a business and we will work with you to support your commercial objectives, as well as your legal requirements and we aim to minimise the distractions that impede sporting excellence.

Protection from HMRC debt enforcement arising from failed tax mitigation/deferral, investment scheme is an area in which we excel and in which many of our sporting client have required support and assistance.

Clients we work with

Agents/intermediaries
Broadcasters
Event promoters
Marketing agencies
Media and technology companies
Merchandising licensees
National governing bodies
Player/athlete unions
PR companies
Regulatory bodies
Sponsors
Sporting clubs
Sporting personalities
Sports apparel and equipment suppliers
Stakeholders

Key Services

Sports Law

Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Tax planning, HMRC investigations and tax issues
Commercial Contracts
Disciplinary Matters
Intellectual Property/Brand Protection
Media and Reputation Management
Property Matters
Regulatory and Governance
Sponsorship and Endorsement
Talent Advice
Transfer Activity
Charity and Trust Law

Key Contacts

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Nick Harvey

Nick, a partner since 2001, heads up the Litigation & Dispute Resolution as well as the Collections and Recoveries teams and also serves on Bermans board.

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Fergal O’Cleirigh

Fergal heads up the Property and Construction team in the Liverpool and Manchester offices. He specialises in commercial property transactions and his clients include property developers, investors, fund managers, banks and bridging loan companies.

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Jon Davage

Jon heads up the Corporate team having joined Bermans as a Corporate Partner in January 2012. Jon had previously worked at SME focused law firms in Manchester since qualification.

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Nicky Benson

Nicky Benson joined Bermans in May 2007 to lead the firm’s growing employment team. Having qualified in 1988, she has spent over 20 years specialising in employment work. She sits as an Employment Judge in the Birmingham region.

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Guy Pattison

Guy joined Bermans upon qualifying as a solicitor in 2006. He specialises in all aspects of commercial property, licensed property, investment property and property finance transactions.

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Chris McDonough

Chris is well respected in his fields of expertise and advises businesses both nationally and internationally on commercial and company law matters.

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Andrew Koffman

Andrew joined Bermans in January 2017 as a Partner in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution team. Amongst his specialises are property litigation, shareholder and partnership disputes and litigation for secured lenders.

Stephen Jarman

Stephen has over 20 years of experience and his focus is mainly on company formations, mergers and takeovers, disposals and MBO/MBIs, as well as general commercial contracts and advice.

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David Tournafond

David Tournafond heads the Private Client practice of Bermans. David graduated from Liverpool University and was a partner in Bremners and subsequently Brabners. David joined Bermans in 2014 to develop their Private Client service.

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Michael Smeaton

Michael joined Bermans as a trainee solicitor in 2008 and, following his qualification in September 2010, joined the Litigation and Dispute Resolution team based in the firm’s Liverpool office.

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Gareth Farrelly

Gareth joined Bermans in 2018, following qualification as a lawyer in the City and previous to that a successful career as a Premiership and international footballer.