Carol Couse
Mills & Reeve LLPBoth working between London and Manchester, Carol Couse and Mark Hovell jointly lead the practice at Mills & Reeve LLP, which acts for a growing number of football agencies. The group handles a range of cases concerning breaches of betting regulations and match fixing, in addition to matters involving commercial restructuring and contractual issues. Couse is a football expert who is noted for her strong focus on women’s football, often advising managers, players, and clubs on contractual arrangements, and arbitration specialist Hovell acts for a lucrative client base of professional athletes Premier League clubs, and players’ associations. Sarah Attwood often advises sporting organisations on image rights contracts, while Phil Hutchinson stands out due to his strong knowledge of anti-doping, and his expertise in disputes and regulatory issues within the football industry. Joining the group from the International Paralympic Committee, Alastair Cotton contributes his broad experience in sponsorship deals and the promotion of sports events on social media.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Mills & Reeve have been extremely supportive for the duration of time we have used them. They are very knowledgeable in every area we have required assistance with. They have got us involved in their community and invited us to attend several CPD sessions, whilst also delivering information sessions on site to our staff. ’
‘Phil Hutchinson and Carol Couse have been nothing but amazing. ’
‘The individuals I have worked with "get" the sports landscape (my area) and the specificity of applying the law in the context of sport. ’
‘Alastair Cotton understands sport and the law; this allows him to understand the differing approaches required in this area and the specific problems faced. He is flexible with time and deadlines to reflect the different pressures faced and is receptive to feedback and ways to make documents more accessible. ’
‘An excellent all-round sports law practice focused on high quality legal advice to deliver the business' objectives at a reasonable rate. ’
- 'Mark Hovell: very experienced lawyer with a very approachable style.'
- 'Phil Hutchinson: excellent understanding of the sector and a valued adviser to the business.'
- 'Alastair Cotton: able to handle complex and sensitive issues in such a way that you have absolute confidence in the advice.'
Key clients
- Birmingham City
- Luton Town FC
- Rangers FC
- Aberdeen FC
- Manchester City
- Rogon
- Interlex
- Yan Bingtao
- Zhao Xintong
- Kevin De Bruyne
- Cole Palmer
- Diogo Jota
- Kyle Walker
- Kieran Trippier
- Wataru Endo
- Harry Toffolo
- New Zealand Rugby
- International Tennis Integrity Agency
- Commonwealth Games Federation
- International Padel Federation
- International Paralympic Committee
- The Professional Golfers’ Association
- The Ryder Cup Europe LLP
- Wasserman
- CAA Base
- CAA Stellar
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Mark Hovell
Mills & Reeve LLPPractice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Carol Couse, Mark Hovell