Wiggin bolsters its sports practice with the arrival of a dynamic football-focussed team

LONDON, Sept. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading sports lawyer David Hinchliffe has joined media, technology and IP law firm Wiggin LLP as partner and Head of the firm's Sport Practice.

Described in Legal 500 as "the first choice for clubs", and the "go to person when it comes to takeovers in football", David, who joins from Walker Morris, brings many years of experience in working with professional football clubs and is renowned as one of the best in the field.

David is joined by team members Stephen Morris, Tim Howden, India Swall, Shaney Stevens-Neale and Imogen Parker.

The multi-disciplinary team has worked for decades for its large roster of English Premier League (EPL) and English Football League (EFL) clients in the following areas: football dispute resolution including advice on contentious regulatory, commercial and disciplinary matters; mergers & acquisitions of football clubs (both buy and sell side); commercial contracts (including media and sponsorship agreements (club, athlete and brand side)); regulatory and governance matters; and sports finance and banking instruments.

The team has advised on some of the most high-profile complex legal issues in the football industry and has completed more than 60 football M&A transactions – which amounts to a large proportion of the club sale market in the English Premier League (EPL) and English Football League (EFL). Additionally, the team acts on a weekly basis for a significant number of football clubs throughout the EPL and EFL on a wide range of contentious, disciplinary and commercial matters.

The arrival of the team underscores Wiggin's commitment to the sports sector. The firm's existing long-standing sports client portfolio includes prominent names such as DAZN, FIFA, Racecourse Media Group, Premiership Rugby, EPCR and Formula E.

Wiggin Senior Partner, Ben Whitelock, said: "The hire of David and his team is incredibly exciting for Wiggin. It complements our existing sports practice very well, combining our specialism in media and other commercial rights with regulatory and M&A expertise in the high-profile football arena. We're delighted to welcome them to the firm."

David Hinchliffe, Sports Partner, remarked: "I am thrilled to be joining Wiggin. Our sports, and particularly football, practice aligns perfectly with Wiggin's existing core business. I have no doubt we will be able to complement and strengthen the already impressive Wiggin offering. Football is increasingly an entertainment as well as sports business, and Wiggin's long, entrenched experience and network in the media and entertainment world will be invaluable for us to share with our clients. The Team are excited to get going."

Notes to Editors

About Wiggin

Wiggin holds a unique position as a specialist law firm in media, technology and intellectual property practice, representing many of the world's leading digital entertainment, leisure and tech companies and brands. As a thought leader in its chosen fields, Wiggin provides its clients with the highest-level commercial and strategic guidance. It seeks to be the destination law firm in a digital world, not simply through the excellence of its advice, but through its spirit of authenticity, inclusivity and entrepreneurialism. To find out more, visit: www.wiggin.co.uk. 

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