CORPORATE & COMMERCIAL

CASE STUDY

Our winning streak as a leading law firm is reflected in our partnership with Commonwealth Games England as its first o�cial legal partner. Culminating in the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, we picked up the baton for all legal matters allowing Team England’s personnel and athletes to focus on awe-inspiring performances.

A three-year partnership which involved us advising Commonwealth Games England as its first ever o�cial legal partner.

Key support to Team England to help it focus on achieving goals at both the Commonwealth Youth Games and Gold Coast Games.

Thrilling results which helped to inspire a nation – and captured our people’s imagination too.

This is our partnership with Commonwealth Games England.

Project Legal Partner for Team England for the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games and the 2018 Commonwealth Games

Client Commonwealth Games England

Our shared belief with CGE is that teamwork achieves success, whether on the sports field or in the business arena. In our prestigious role as first legal partner to CGE, we provided advice and support for the 2017 Youth Games in the Bahamas and the 2018 Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast.

We helped with critical funding and organisational aspects, with a keen eye on preparedness for the next Games in 2022.

Our work included drafting:• agreements governing accommodation,

venue and sponsorship arrangements;

• team member agreements for all participating athletes, sta� and volunteers;

• athlete selection policies for all sports competing at the Gold Coast Games; and

• the commercial agreement with a consultancy to exclusively procure sponsors for CGE as cash or value-in-kind service partners, as well as delivering other income streams.

We also advised on: • conflicting requirements from a world

governing body concerning the selection of reserve athletes;

• issues related to engaging the services of volunteers;

• potential disputes with athlete sponsors;

• the possibility of obtaining charitable status for CGE; and

• a range of employment, image and media rights issues, and data sharing matters.

In addition we:• operated a 24/7 on-call service for any

legal issues arising during the Youth Games;

• provided on-site legal support during the Gold Coast Games; and

• supported CGE in connection with various city bids for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

A sporting tale of how perseverance and triumph inspired us all The Gold Coast Commonwealth Games were the ‘Games of Firsts’. Medals were shared equally between men and women, and para competition was fully integrated.

Diversity and determination shone through. England’s multi-sport team of para and able-bodied athletes of all ages did not disappoint the nation.

Becoming the o�cial legal partner for Commonwealth Games England (CGE) was a natural move; elite athletes drive for excellence resonates with our own values.

As we set to work with inspired legal solutions for the team’s business needs, the winning spirit of the partnership created other benefits. With sports champions as our ambassadors, we got active with our own Gold Coast-inspired challenges to boost our people’s physical and mental wellbeing.

The Games were a resounding success. And our partnership with CGE strengthened our prized experience to give trusted advice to the wider sports sector.

Project: Commonwealth Games Client: Commonwealth Games England

A focus on achieving goals with Commonwealth Games England

Getting the best team competing at the GamesWe shared the commitment of Commonwealth Games England’s (CGE) to track down talent and send the best team to achieve medal success.

Enabling Team England to look and feel their bestThe ‘kitting out’ of England’s largest team to represent the nation at an overseas event involved equipping over 400 athletes and 200 o�cials with clothing and accessories. The unique designs were created with close input from the athletes to ensure the kit heightened their performance and experience of the Games. The result was 259 bespoke product designs, incorporating the unique needs of 18 sports, and over 36,000 items of sportswear produced and worn with pride.

Joining the dots to show appreciation at the opening ceremony When England’s athletes came together to finalise their opening ceremony kit, they wanted its design to recognise Australia as the host country. The answer came through featuring indigenous dot art on the kit itself.

A Games partnership programme between a school in Southport, England, and Southport State School on the Gold Coast was already exploring indigenous dot art and its meaning. The Gold Coast students and their art teacher were keen to celebrate the connection too. A piece of story-telling artwork, The Journey, was created and gifted by the artist for use in the opening ceremony clothing worn by Team England. Its circles and dot lines were rich in representation to enhance the team’s lion logo.

Our work highlightsWorking with CGE and the relevant national governing bodies, we scrutinised the proposed athlete selection policies and advised on possible amendments.

Our focus was on replacing any ambiguity with greater clarity to ensure fair and transparent selection and appeal processes. Any subjectivity was minimised to avoid allegations of bias or discrimination in the subsequent decision making process.

We refreshed the composite team member agreement covering athletes, volunteers and o�cials to reduce the risk of uncertainty and disputes over the terms. This included advising on an e�ective way to obtain electronic signatures.

We helped to review and update the wording of CGE’s ticketing policy, and to clearly define roles and expectations in volunteer agreements.

Our work highlightsWe oversaw all aspects of the commercial partnering transaction with Kukri, the o�cial kit supplier, and with swimwear brand Arena Water Instinct for aquatics wear.

Our involvement extended to visiting the Kukri factory for the ‘kit out’ of athletes from the table tennis and badminton teams.

Our work highlightsUsing our expertise in intellectual property, we prepared the unique agreement with the artist for the design’s development, copyright assignment and rights. It required particular sensitivity to ensure all commercial aspects were handled in a culturally acceptable way.

@SHMALaw

Shakespeare Martineau

03300 240 333

Shakespeare Martineau is a leading law firm that combines creativity, commerciality and clarity. We pride ourselves on protecting and growing

our clients’ businesses through pragmatic advice and sector expertise. Our approach goes beyond legal solutions; clients instruct us to advise on

what’s possible, what’s prudent, and what’s around the corner.

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Chris KisbyJoint head partner

0115 945 3796chris.kisby@shma.co.uk

Let our experienced sports sector specialists champion your business vision

Support teamOur multi-disciplinary approach means we can draw on in-house expertise in many other related areas for sport, such as business immigration, personal injury and dispute resolution.

Ed Wright Joint head partner

0115 945 3744ed.wright@shma.co.uk

Chris specialises in contentious and non-contentious employment law. He’s also an experienced advocate, appearing in tribunal hearings nationwide. With experience of advising many professional sports clubs and national governing bodies, Chris can assist with issues including governance, team member agreements, rules and regulations, athlete selection policies, discipline and selection disputes, grievances, as well as issues relating to whistleblowing, discrimination and bullying. Chris acted as General Counsel to Team England at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and is an accredited UKAD anti-doping adviser.

Ed’s expertise is in non-contentious commercial, contract and intellectual property law. With invaluable know-how in areas such as communications technology, data protection, confidentiality and franchising, Ed can advise you on a raft of sports sector issues. His common-sense approach appeals to clients ranging from small start-ups to internationally known individuals and companies.

Winner – Best Professional Services Firm in Sport at the Sports Business Awards 2017

Kim WalkerPartner

020 7264 4362kim.walker@shma.co.uk

Kim o�ers all-encompassing experience in commercial law, with a forte for corporate transactions involving sports, media and retail. He is an expert advisor on contracts and due diligence ranging from sponsorship and merchandising agreements to intellectual property matters including image rights, licensing, and sports brands as trademarks.