England - London • TMT (technology, media and telecoms)
Slaughter and May
Slaughter and May‘s corporate specialists Andrew Jolly and Mark Zerdin jointly head the sports team, which frequently advises high-profile investors seeking to acquire and invest in top-tier football clubs in England and Europe. The firm also leverages its expertise across data protection, competition law, disputes and IP to assist clients across a diverse range of sports, including F1, rugby, and cycling to name a few. Jolly is a key name to note for football clubs seeking advice on player transfers, while Zerdin frequently works on commercial contracts concerning media companies acquiring the rights to broadcast world competitions. Richard Todd, Jane Edwarde and Tom Inker advise on large-scale stadium construction projects in the worlds of football and cricket.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Extremely high level of care and competence of partners and associates. Also, the intellectual horsepower at all levels of seniority to stay right on top of an extremely complex negotiation.’
‘Calm, thoughtful and intelligent advice at all days and hours. Hemita Sumanasuriya had my absolute trust on all issues, both for their ability to navigate an extremely complex negotiation and the degree to which they cared about my interests as their client.’
‘Excellent knowledge of football club and stadium transactions across firm departments and therefore informed advice taking account of specific risks associated with the sector.’
‘Willingness and ability to answer questions and provide advice at very short notice, and without prior knowledge of the challenge. Differentiated from competitors by quality of advice and ability to communicate that to staff within the client's organisation.’
‘They have impressive practical knowledge and experience of how the football world works, both at the club and regulator level, whether it relates to acquisitions, stadium construction and finance or the day-to-day issues of running a club. Combined with their usual pragmatism and outstanding transaction execution skills, this makes for a very strong team.’
‘Andrew Jolly is hugely experienced and well-connected in football-related matters. Down to earth, hands-on, able to deliver concise, pragmatic advice. Fun to work with.’
Key clients
- INEOS Sport
- New Zealand Rugby
- Arsenal Football Club
- Aston Villa Football Club
- Everton Football Club
- A.S Roma S.P.A
- Marylebone Cricket Club
- ITV
- Boat Race Company
- Lendlease Construction Europe
- Relevent Sports Limited
Work highlights
- Advising INEOS Sport in respect of various football matters.
- Assisting ITV in relation to an investigation launched by the Competition and Markets Authority into companies involved in the production and broadcasting of sports content.
- Supporting Everton Football Club on the construction of the Club’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock and the redevelopment of Goodison Park.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Andrew Jolly, Mark Zerdin