International law firm Bird & Bird has recruited a top rated team of regulatory and litigation sports lawyers to complement the firm’s existing commercial sports group and confirm its pre-eminent reputation in the sports sector. Led by leading sports partner, Jonathan Taylor, the four strong team, which join from Hammonds, will be based in Bird & Bird’s London office. Bird & Bird’s recruitment of the team follows a wave of recent expansion of the firm which has attracted significant lateral hires across its international offices including London in recent months.

Specialising in regulatory and contentious work, the new team consists of two partners and two assistants. Partner Jonathan Taylor, who was head of the Hammonds’ sports law group, is recognised as one of the country’s pre-eminent sports regulatory and litigation lawyers. Co-editor of leading text, Butterworth’s “Sport: Law & Practice”, he specialises in sports disciplinary and anti-doping work as well as the disputes that can arise in the commercial exploitation of sports rights. Also joining the team is partner Max Duthie who also specialises in the contentious and regulatory side of sport. They are joined by assistants Iain Higgins and Anna-Marie Blakeley.

The new team will join Bird & Bird’s highly rated international sports group which is headed by commercial sports partner, Justin Walkey. Commenting on their appointment, Justin said:
 
“The arrival of this first rate team is a very exciting and significant development for our sports group. They are excellent lawyers and their client base and skills-set strongly complement our own. This will create one of the biggest and best resourced specialist sports teams, not just in the UK but internationally. We are confident that the market will respond enthusiastically due to this expansion.”

Commenting on behalf of the team, Jonathan Taylor added:
 
“Bird & Bird has a leading reputation for corporate, commercial and IP work in the sports and related sectors such as media, perfectly complementing our own market-leading contentious and regulatory practice. With many common clients, and a shared commitment to pre-eminence in the field, the combined group as a whole looks well-placed fully to service the sports law sector.  We are all very excited about the opportunities that this move offers”.

For more information on this please contact Natalie Arestis, PR Manager on 020 7905 6248 or natalia.arestis@twobirds.com.