We work with high profile sports clubs and international athletes in rugby, football and cricket.
We act for Cardiff City FC, Glamorgan Cricket Club and Wales’ regional rugby teams, including Pontypool Rugby. We are also on the legal panel for UK Anti-Doping and the Gambling Commission.
We advise clients on a wide range of sport and leisure issues, including:
- Structuring and negotiating commercial agreements
- Transfer agreements and contracts
- Player and club disputes
- Sponsorship, image rights and intellectual property
- Disciplinary hearings and regulatory issues
- Media and Reputation Management
- Sports immigration
- Stadium and ticketing
- Sporting premises
Football
Sole legal advisor to Cardiff City FC and Cardiff City Women for many years, specifically:
- CAS 2019/A/6594 Cardiff City Football Club Limited v. SASP Football Club de Nantes
- Michael John Isaac v (1) Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Vincent Tan (2) Cardiff City Football Club (Holdings) Limited [2022] EWHC 2023 (Ch)
- Cardiff City Football Club v The Football League (EFL) (Disciplinary Commission decision dated 22 June 2023)
- (1) Langston Group Corporation (2) Mr Samir-Georges Nassib Hammam v (1) Cardiff City Football Club Ltd (2) Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun
- Cardiff City Football Club Ltd v Miller Insurance Services LLP
- The inquests into the death of Emiliano Sala and Keith Pontin
- The semi-professional contracts signed by Cardiff City Women
- Acted for Glyndwr Uni when it bought The Racecourse, in Wrexham.
Rugby
- Acted for all the regional rugby clubs in Wales in their negotiations with the Welsh Rugby Union over funding. We acted for them all when taking loans from the WRU during Covid
- Advising cohort of professional rugby players on unlawful deductions of wages during Covid-19
- Acting for the Cardiff Arms Park Redevelopment company about its project; our Senior Partner also chairs it
- Acting for numerous international rugby Union players in the English Rugby Premiership and the United Rugby Championship
- Acted for several high-profile coaching staff from English Premiership and United Rugby Championship
- Advice to players and staff impacted by insolvencies in English Rugby Premiership.
Racing and equestrian
- Advising Praga Cars on all aspects of their expansion into the UK and other jurisdictions such as Saudi Arabia (included commercial, intellectual property and employment advice)
- Representing a Devon-based racetrack company in a trespass claim
- Acted for a German dressage horse breeder in a breach of contract dispute with a horse trainer in the UK
We met with Cardiff City Football Club’s Mark McGuinness at our Cardiff office for a chat on mental health and the workplace.
Commercial Disputes lawyer Clare Good, has been very open with her own experiences of mental health and eating disorders, raising awareness on how vital it is to fund research in this area.
Mark and Clare find common ground between the world of professional football and the pressures of litigation, and how both have found help through new hobbies and professional support.
During August 2023, Cardiff City Women became Wales’ first full women’s squad to sign semi-professional contracts.
Employment lawyer Rebecca Mahon, worked alongside the Club and the FAW to prepare the relevant documentation for this landmark move in women’s football in Wales.
Rebecca explains what this means for the players under UK law and the FIFA regulations.
The leading firm in Wales for sports law. Incredible connections and commitment to their clients.
Their advice is easily understood, practical and solution-focused.
Capital Law is well resourced and so is able to react quickly to requests. The firm is also cost-effective without compromising on quality.
