Athlete / Celebrity Representation
The team has significant expertise across a wide range of legal issues relating to athletes and celebrities, including the development and implementation of marketing programmes, the exploitation and protection of intellectual property rights and 'image rights' and the negotiation of a wide range of commercial agreements relating to the playing, performing and commercial services of athletes and celebrities. Our expertise covers acting on behalf of athletes and celebrities, in both an individual context and also as members of a group, and also acting for clubs, sponsors, licensees and partners in securing a wide range of agreements with athletes and celebrities.Our experience includes:
– Advising Jonny Wilkinson on various sponsor, merchandising and endorsement agreements, including those with Boots, Hackett, Headline Book Publishing, adidas, GlaxoSmithKline Limited (Lucozade), Danilo Calendars and Travelex PLC, as well as advising him on brand protection issues.
– Advising the England Rugby Union Team (TER LLP) on the commercial exploitation and protection of their rights.
– Acting on behalf of the Professional Rugby Players' Association in respect of its continuing relationships with the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Premier Rugby Limited (PRL), as well as in respect of player issues, including the introduction of a Standard Playing Contract in rugby union.
– Advising and negotiating commercial agreements in respect of, amongst others, David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Damien Duff, Cristiano Ronaldo, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Dean Ashton, Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie, Ian Woosnam and Amir Khan.
– Negotiating and drafting image rights agreements between Manchester United FC and its players and advising Manchester United FC and MUTV in the conclusion of their respective 'players pool' arrangements for the use of the image rights of the Manchester United first team squad.
– Advising rugby players across both codes, including Andy Farrell, Martin Johnson, Mark Cueto, Charlie Hodgson and Mathew Tait on a variety of matters, including endorsement arrangements, image rights structures and brand protection.
– Representing the British Swimming Team in its negotiations with the national governing body British Swimming on all Code of Conduct and selection agreement issues.
– Advising on motorsport matters, including a driver agreement with a Formula One Team and advising the motorcycle rider Shayne "Shakey" Byrne of the British Superbike Championship on all of his sponsorship, merchandising and equipment agreements.
For more information contact: Jason Smith
(Initial contacts will work with you and/or introduce you to the most appropriate lawyer for your enquiry)
© 2012 Brabners Chaffe Street. Brabners Chaffe Street is a Limited Liability Partnership