Charles Russell Speechlys & Couchmans combine
Charles Russell Speechlys has announced that the partners and staff of Couchmans LLP have joined the firm to form a unique full-service legal offering for the sports sector with a focus on the Middle East market.
By combining its pre-eminent sports law practice with Couchmans’ sport law boutique service, Charles Russell Speechlys is uniquely placed to advise clients internationally on all the legal and strategic issues that they may encounter in the sports and related technology, media and lifestyle sectors.
With sporting calendars growing in many Middle Eastern countries to include new annual tournaments and mass-participation sports events such as marathons, triathlons and cycling events, in addition to the headline large-scale events that continue to dominate the region’s sporting diaries, good governance and integrity are hot topics and of paramount importance to investors, organisers, and participants.
Nic Couchman, head of sport at Charles Russell Speechlys, says,“Charles Russell Speechlys provides the perfect platform for us. Both firms are immersed in this sector and have a track record of innovation and working on ground breaking projects. We have helped to shape and guide the change and growth in the sports sector over two decades. This exciting next step in our development allows us to meet the needs of our clients who want sector specialist advice across the full range of legal disciplines with a global outlook. The Middle East market, with its rapidly-growing calendar of sporting events, increasing prominence on the world sporting stage, and increasing focus on sports and active lifestyles, is of huge importance to us, and we look forward to working with the organisations and investors making this happen to ensure the highest standards of good governance, sporting integrity – and best commercial practice – are applied. Our interest and experience ranges from major football and equine sports rights and investments to niche and lifestyle sports. Working in tandem with our local office network and partners in the Middle East, we intend to set a new standard for sports law firms, not just in the UK, but internationally.”
Couchmans was founded in 2001 by Nic Couchman, and was known one of the leading brands in sports law for nearly two decades. The arrival of the Couchmans team coincides with the appointment of Darren Bailey as a consultant. Darren was previously Director of Football Governance and Regulation at The FA, and is a leading expert in sports law, integrity and regulation. Darren’s role will include advising footballing authorities in the Middle East region on integrity and governance issues.
James Carter, managing partner at Charles Russell Speechlys, says,“We are delighted to join forces with Couchmans. Charles Russell Speechlys has been at the forefront of providing legal advice to the sports sector for over 100 years and has acted in many of the leading cases and projects that have helped to shape what is now known as sports law. The addition of the market leading Couchmans team is a bold and innovative step forward for both firms and creates what we believe will quickly become the pre-eminent international sports sector legal practice.We firmly believe that through this combination, we will stay at the cutting edge of the sports business as it becomes increasingly global. Clients will have access to a commercially orientated, sector specialist service on a full service international platform, but will continue to benefit from the personal attention that is the hallmark of both firms.”
