RPC‘s sports group and commercial division chief Jeremy Drew is a key contact for a range of clients - including rugby teams, sports data companies, sports investors, sports consultancy companies and football clubs - on a diverse array of matters that includes litigations and commercial agreements. Oliver Bray works with social media clients on issues that intersect social media with sport. Tax specialists Adam Craggs and Michelle Sloane support Drew in advising clients, such as football clubs, on contentious tax matters concerning player transfers and agent fees. Josh Charalambous is a key name to note at the junior end, while Samuel Coppard focuses on soft IP infringement issues in the sports sector.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The team has a deep knowledge of the sector, exceptional strategic nous, and is lovely to work with.’
‘Josh Charalambous, who has just become a partner, is superb. He is responsive and clever, with a real gift for focussing on what is important (both in terms of the litigation and the client's commercial aims). He's also very fun to work with.’
'Jeremy Drew is a standout partner. He is very popular with clients and is always on top of the issues. He also has an excellent commercial approach to his cases, giving practical advice to clients.'
'A brilliant range of highly talented youth and experience. Great degree of proactivity and ability to see trouble ahead. Prompt and well versed on the every changing commercial market of sport. Very impressed with their work to date.'
Key clients
- Mike Ashley
- webuyanycar
- Saracens RFC
- Soft Construct
- Sports Direct
- Meta
- Sport Industry Group
- England Lacrosse
- Mavericks Netball
- The Esports Awards
- Square Mile Sport
- thinkBeyond Sport
- OliveX
- Newcastle United FC
- National Student Esports
- Sports Podcast Group
- Dreams
Work highlights
- Instructed by Soft Construct in the long running sports data dispute in the High Court which included intervening in the Sportradar v Genius Sports and Football DataCo competition case around the rights to collect, distribute and own rights in respect of live sports data.
- Advised Saracens on a host of commercial and regulatory matters throughout the year including the first ever rugby partnerships by Socios.
- Acting for webuyanycar in its new and high-profile broadcast sponsorship of Sky Sports’ coverage of the Premier League.
Lawyers
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Jeremy Drew