Sport
Overview
Recognising that the business of sport involves complex commercial relationships among a wide range of competing stakeholders, we offer a complete range of legal and strategic services, designed to help clients maintain a competitive edge.
According to the most recent edition of Legal Profiles, 'the Sports Group at Freehills are ... clearly the lawyers of choice for the big end of town'. Legal Profiles ranked Freehills as the premier Australian law firm in the area of sport. According to its client survey, 'Freehills provides vital support and is outstanding. Their turnaround is always timely, their presentation of scenarios for consideration thorough and pragmatic'.
Our major clients include Stadium Australia, Seven Network, Australian Rugby Union, TAB and Reebok. We have also advised the organisers for the Melbourne 2002 World Masters Games and Melbourne's bid for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
We are able to provide advice and assistance across the full spectrum of sports business activities including:
Broadcasting and new media: We are one of the few law firms in the Asia-Pacific region that can offer clients combined expertise in sports broadcasting, intellectual property, telecommunications and information technology, whether they seek to exploit opportunities in new or traditional media.
Sports venues: Our services in this area include project finance, construction and environmental issues, novel funding arrangements and operator agreements.
Sponsorship and marketing: We are experienced in structuring, negotiating and documenting complex sponsorship arrangements and marketing initiatives which incorporate the latest thinking. We also provide our clients with advice on player and team endorsement arrangements. We work closely with many of Australia's leading corporations, events, sporting organisations, and other rights-holders to design and implement effective and innovative sponsorship arrangements.
Event management: Our services in this area include bid preparation, establishing ongoing entities, including drafting constitutions, managing conflicts of interest of multiple stakeholders, negotiating and drafting hosting contracts, marketing and sale of commercial rights, procurement contracts, insurance and risk management issues, funding agreements, ticket conditions and enforcement, and participation contracts with sports federations and athletes.
Licensing and merchandising: We provide strategic advice in relation to the protection, enforcement and licensing of rights. Our lawyers and the patent and trade mark attorneys from our associated firm Freehills Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys can meet your requirements for marketing and licencing agreements, due diligence reviews, preparing and filing prosecuting patents, registration of trade marks and logos, conflict resolution, mediation and intellectual property litigation.
League and competition structures: We understand amateur and professional league structures and the issues emerging for sports administrators. Our services include structuring special purpose vehicles, establishing event joint ventures and partnerships, equity investment in sports assets, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, drafting and amending constitutions and internal rules, internal dispute resolution processes, league rationalisation and restructuring, finance raising, corporate governance, membership issues, competition rules and technical matters.
Dispute resolution: Our litigation lawyers assist clients in the sports industry to identify, and where possible, avoid potential conflict. Our services include advocacy before sports appeals tribunals, advice on matters such as athletic discipline, selection procedures and drug use, commercial disputes between stakeholders, competition law advice and litigation.
Employment and collective bargaining: Freehills' reputation in employment and industrial relations is unparalleled. Our services to the sports industry include advising sporting bodies in all employment and industrial issues, negotiating, drafting and interpreting collective bargaining agreements and representing sports organisations in tribunal proceedings.
Risk management and compliance: We offer the sports industry a total approach to legal risk management. We work with our clients and their insurers to identify areas of exposure and recommended actions to reduce risk and mitigate loss. Our services include project and contract management, insurance matters, occupational health and safety, security and accreditation matters, preparing disclaimers, indemnities and warranties, reviewing and drafting competition rules and participation agreements.
Taxation: We offer a complete range of tax and structuring services tailored to the needs of our sports industry clients. We have particular expertise in dealing with the unique issues which confront international sporting events and cross-border transactions. We also advise clients on matters related to player contracts and associated tax implications. Our services include advice on GST compliance, not-for-profit entities, cross-border tax issues such as international clients and international prize winnings.
Recognising that the business of sport involves complex commercial relationships among a wide range of competing stakeholders, we offer a complete range of legal and strategic services, designed to help clients maintain a competitive edge.
According to the most recent edition of Legal Profiles, 'the Sports Group at Freehills are ... clearly the lawyers of choice for the big end of town'. Legal Profiles ranked Freehills as the premier Australian law firm in the area of sport. According to its client survey, 'Freehills provides vital support and is outstanding. Their turnaround is always timely, their presentation of scenarios for consideration thorough and pragmatic'.
Our major clients include Stadium Australia, Seven Network, Australian Rugby Union, TAB and Reebok. We have also advised the organisers for the Melbourne 2002 World Masters Games and Melbourne's bid for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
We are able to provide advice and assistance across the full spectrum of sports business activities including:
Broadcasting and new media: We are one of the few law firms in the Asia-Pacific region that can offer clients combined expertise in sports broadcasting, intellectual property, telecommunications and information technology, whether they seek to exploit opportunities in new or traditional media.
Sports venues: Our services in this area include project finance, construction and environmental issues, novel funding arrangements and operator agreements.
Sponsorship and marketing: We are experienced in structuring, negotiating and documenting complex sponsorship arrangements and marketing initiatives which incorporate the latest thinking. We also provide our clients with advice on player and team endorsement arrangements. We work closely with many of Australia's leading corporations, events, sporting organisations, and other rights-holders to design and implement effective and innovative sponsorship arrangements.
Event management: Our services in this area include bid preparation, establishing ongoing entities, including drafting constitutions, managing conflicts of interest of multiple stakeholders, negotiating and drafting hosting contracts, marketing and sale of commercial rights, procurement contracts, insurance and risk management issues, funding agreements, ticket conditions and enforcement, and participation contracts with sports federations and athletes.
Licensing and merchandising: We provide strategic advice in relation to the protection, enforcement and licensing of rights. Our lawyers and the patent and trade mark attorneys from our associated firm Freehills Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys can meet your requirements for marketing and licencing agreements, due diligence reviews, preparing and filing prosecuting patents, registration of trade marks and logos, conflict resolution, mediation and intellectual property litigation.
League and competition structures: We understand amateur and professional league structures and the issues emerging for sports administrators. Our services include structuring special purpose vehicles, establishing event joint ventures and partnerships, equity investment in sports assets, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, drafting and amending constitutions and internal rules, internal dispute resolution processes, league rationalisation and restructuring, finance raising, corporate governance, membership issues, competition rules and technical matters.
Dispute resolution: Our litigation lawyers assist clients in the sports industry to identify, and where possible, avoid potential conflict. Our services include advocacy before sports appeals tribunals, advice on matters such as athletic discipline, selection procedures and drug use, commercial disputes between stakeholders, competition law advice and litigation.
Employment and collective bargaining: Freehills' reputation in employment and industrial relations is unparalleled. Our services to the sports industry include advising sporting bodies in all employment and industrial issues, negotiating, drafting and interpreting collective bargaining agreements and representing sports organisations in tribunal proceedings.
Risk management and compliance: We offer the sports industry a total approach to legal risk management. We work with our clients and their insurers to identify areas of exposure and recommended actions to reduce risk and mitigate loss. Our services include project and contract management, insurance matters, occupational health and safety, security and accreditation matters, preparing disclaimers, indemnities and warranties, reviewing and drafting competition rules and participation agreements.
Taxation: We offer a complete range of tax and structuring services tailored to the needs of our sports industry clients. We have particular expertise in dealing with the unique issues which confront international sporting events and cross-border transactions. We also advise clients on matters related to player contracts and associated tax implications. Our services include advice on GST compliance, not-for-profit entities, cross-border tax issues such as international clients and international prize winnings.