News & Events
News & Events
Victoria Brown has been published in LawInSport. In the article, titled ‘The importance of giving clear reasons in sports disciplinary decisions: lessons from the Gerwyn Price decision’ Victoria explores sanctions given by the Darts Regulation Authority. The article reflects upon the decision given in Gerwyn Price v The Darts Regulation Authority and why guidelines for sanctions are so important. Victoria considers the consequences of Mr Price’s approach to his appeal and suggests some practical takeaway points. The article can be read online here. Victoria is a civil and commercial practitioner with a particular focus on pensions, employment, commercial and financial services disputes. Should you wish to instruct Victoria or find out more, please contact David Smith (+44 (0)20 7427 4905).
External Publications 12 Nov, 2019
Harry Trusted and Patrick Tomison have been published in LawInSport. The article, titled ‘How the UK courts assess future losses of earnings for professional athletes in claims for career-ending injuries’ examines a hypothetical claim for future losses of earnings raises. This article examines three specific possible heads of loss: losses of future earnings as a professional athlete; losses of earnings after retirement from sport; and loss of ‘congenial employment’, which means the loss attributable to losing the ability to pursue an enjoyable and fulfilling profession. The article contains a worked example of how the Court might deal with the evidence, together with a set of calculations at the Appendix and can be read here. Harry Trusted is a first class…
News 17 Oct, 2019
Louis Weston and Sarah Crowther have co authored ‘How game theory can help us design more effective whistleblowing polices for sports’ for LawInSport. This two part article considers how sports bodies can design more effective whistleblowing polices. Part 1 (available here) examined three interesting scenarios from the behavioural field of game theory to help give us a better understanding of how decisions are made in difficult circumstances, analogous to those a potential Whistleblower may face. It then identified ways in which the ‘rules of the game’ might be changed to better incentivise a certain behavioural outcome. Part 2 (available here) builds on the theory from Part 1. It first examines the current state of Whistleblowing laws in England & Wales…
News 7 Oct, 2019
Louis Weston has acted for the Rugby Football Union (RFU) in resisting an appeal by the player Bryce Heem. Louis, who recently joined Outer Temple, acted for the RFU in successfully resisting Bryce Heem’s appeal against a four-week suspension, imposed by an RFU Disciplinary Panel following his citing for a tip a tackle. Read more about the interim decision here with further press coverage available here. To instruct Louis or find out more about his practice, please contact Graham Woods, Business Development Manager.
News 25 Apr, 2019
We are delighted to announce the successful recruitment of four new barristers to our ranks. As of Monday, 8th April 2019 we extend a warm welcome to: Louis Weston Louis Weston, top-ranked sports law specialist and regulatory law barrister joins us from 3 Paper Buildings as a full Member of Chambers. Louis was the recipient of the 2017 International Advisory Experts Award: Sports Law Lawyer of the Year in England and has a thriving Sports Law practice. He prosecutes before the British Horseracing Authority, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, the Turf Club, the World Professional Snooker and Billiards Association and before other arbitral bodies. He acts before both courts and regulators in disputes arising from sports contracts and doping…
News 5 Apr, 2019
Robert Rhodes QC discusses the question of compensation for sporting injuries in contact sports, following the recent case with Dominic Fry and Ryan Ball. Contact sports such as rugby and football are exciting and exhilarating to play. But what if you are injured while playing? Can you get compensation for your injury and any loss of earnings? This question surfaced recently in a case arising from an injury on the rugby field. Dominic Fry was seriously injured by a player on the opposing side. Mr Fry had kicked the ball downfield, aiming for touch, when his opponent tackled him. As a result of that impact, Mr Fry had to have his spleen removed and sued for damages for alleged negligence. Mr Fry claimed…
News 18 Dec, 2018
Ben Compton QC has secured the acquittal of Formula One Management Ltd (FOML), who were being prosecuted by the HSE on a charge under section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The case involved contractors who FOML had hired for roof work at one of their sites in Surrey. During the resultant work, an untrained roofer fell through a roof light and was severely injured. The case against FOML was predicated on the basis that they had not adhered to their own management systems in selecting this particular contractor and further that they permitted work to continue even after the accident. As part of their case, the HSE relied on a former employee, as one of…
News 16 Feb, 2018
We are very pleased to announce that the International Council of Arbitration for Sport (ICAS) has appointed Robert Rhodes QC as mediator of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland. Robert has been selected as one of 60 mediators who may be called upon to act as mediator in a mediation procedure. Robert sits on a number of panels of arbitrators / mediators globally, has rights of audience in the Dubai International Financial Centre, and is a member of the Dubai International Arbitration Centre. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a member of the London Court of International Arbitration and of the International Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, Robert has been a member of the Corporate…
News 8 Jan, 2018
We are delighted to have been shortlisted in Legal Week’s British Legal Awards 2017 – Chambers of the Year category. The British Legal Awards hosted by Legal Week in association with The City of London Law Society, takes place at the end of the LegalWeek Connect, and is due to be attended by 1,000 lawyers. All 29 categories have been carefully chosen to reflect the ever-complex and challenging work of business lawyers at law firms, within legal departments and at the Bar. Key awards this year include The City of London Law Society Lifetime Achievement Award, Chambers of the Year, Law Firm of the Year, General Counsel of the Year, Editor’s Award: Law Firm Leader of the Year and the Legal…
News 20 Oct, 2017
Starting with the case of Sam Allardyce, the former England Manager, Matthew McDonagh writes for LawInSport about how sports stars should respond to media sting operations. This piece was written for and first published by LawInSport. A copy of the original is available to view here. “The former England Manager, Sam Allardyce’s, recent assertion that “entrapment has won” was a response to the continuing investigations of The Daily Telegraph into corruption in football that had led to the termination of his role as the England Football Manager. Allardyce’s role lasted a mere 67 days before he left by mutual consent. He had attended a meeting at the request of his friend, Scott McGarvey, a football agent. McGarvey was meeting a…
News 27 Feb, 2017
This piece was written for and first published by LawInSport. A copy of the original is available to view here. Watching the distress of footballer 43 year-old Andy Woodward disclosing his experience of being sexually abused as a boy from the age of 11 until 15 by Barry Bennell, his football coach, is a stark reminder if one were needed of the far-reaching emotional damage that abuse brings in its wake. There are no reported cases of claims within professional football brought by former players against their coaches for sexual abuse when playing in youth teams, football academies or as apprentice players. Claims against youth club leaders, sports coaches in schools and local clubs are not unusual and have been…
News 20 Dec, 2016
David Westcott QC successfully acted for the Claimant in Harris v Miller [2016] EWHC 2438 (QB). The Claimant was 14 years old when she fell off the Defendant’s horse and sustained paraplegia. An action was originally brought in negligence and under the Animals Act 1971; but since, on the particular facts of the case, the Claimant could not have succeeded in the statutory claim if she failed at common law, only negligence was pursued at trial. The facts were hotly disputed by the parties. It was the Claimant’s case that the horse bucked whilst cantering on flat ground, whereas the Defendant suggested the horse had dipped its head when walking downhill. The behaviour and temperament of the horse were also…
News 4 Nov, 2016
