Sports Law Conference 2009
Sports Law Conference 2009
On Thursday 25 June 2009 Foot Anstey’s dedicated Sports team were delighted to launch their Sports Law Conference, designed to bring together a cross-section of the sports world from the south west.
Chaired by top British athlete, Jack Buckner, the conference brought the attendees up-to-date with changes in the law and considered various topical issues.
The programme included:-
• The World Anti-Doping (WADA) Code - considering its implications
Julian Summerhayes, Associate – Head of Sports
• Securing and managing sponsorship in the credit crunch - protecting your name and brand
Marlene Howels, Associate – Intellectual Property and Technology
• Dealing with on-field and off-field incidents
Nigel Lyons, Partner – Advocates
• Child Protection Issues – a review of the current law
Lindy Stephens, Associate – Childcare and Family Finance
• When Tax Gets Taxing – tips for the Sporting Sector
John Pindard, Partner – Tax
Speakers at the event included: -
Chair - Jack Buckner
Former International athlete in the 5000 metres, Jack won medals at the Commonwealth Games, World Championships and European Championships, and competed at the 1992 Olympic Games. Following his running career, Jack worked as a marketing director at Adidas in New York and was appointed project director for the Athletics Board in 2004. He is also a lecturer in Business at the University of Exeter.
Julian Summerhayes
Julian is an associate who heads up the Sports Law team at Foot Anstey. A keen cyclist, Julian regularly writes for the Worlds Sport Law Report and also lectures in law and sports law at a local University. A lawyer with over 10 years experience and a trained mediator, Julian’s background is in commercial litigation and dispute resolution. As well as dealing with all sports contract and sponsorship disputes, Julian takes an avid interest in anti-doping legislation and initiatives.
Marlene Howels
Marlene is an associate, specialising in intellectual property law. Her experience includes drafting commercial agreements, including sponsorship agreements, trade mark assignments and licences, distribution agreements and publication agreements. She also advises in relation to intellectual property infringement matters and domain name disputes. Other work includes providing branding strategy advice and registering trade marks as well as advising on copyright and design right issues.
Nigel Lyons
Nigel is a partner and leader of the Foot Anstey Advocacy team. Nigel specialises in all types of contentious criminal advocacy and has acted for and advised a number of sports clubs and players on diverse issues including off-the-pitch incidents, criminal liability and liquor and public entertainment licensing work.
Lindy Stephens
Lindy is an associate in the childcare team and is a well known and senior practitioner in her field of expertise. She has always been committed to providing legal services to clients based in, and linked to, the West Country having been born and raised in Cornwall and obtaining her degree at Exeter University. Lindy has been a member of the Law Society’s Children Panel for over 10 years and is a member of the local and national Law Society as well as Resolution.
John Pindard
John heads up Foot Anstey’s tax team having previously worked for HMRC for eleven years in a number of technical advisory and policy roles. John specialises in corporate tax, SDLT and VAT and aims to give practical advice using his previous experience with HMRC to full effect. John appreciates that for most people and organisations tax can be daunting. He always seeks to provide clear, concise and cost effective advice specifically tailored to his clients’ needs.
Supporting Charity
All proceeds from the seminar went to Children’s Hospice South West.
Children’s Hospice South West provides the only hospice care in the South West for children with life-limiting conditions. This means that these children are unlikely to survive into adulthood. Their two hospices, Little Bridge House in North Devon and Charlton Farm in North Somerset, provide respite care and support for those children and their families who are having to cope with the most difficult of situations. Children’s Hospice South West’s Precious Lives Appeal has been launched to provide a third hospice in Cornwall to complete the final piece of the jigsaw of world class palliative care that Children’s Hospice South West provides across the South West. The money that was raised by the Sports Law Conference will help Children’s Hospice South West make the most of short and precious lives.
Published 26/06/2009. The author of this article is Julian Summerhayes
