Linklaters has been working to create more sports law work and has promoted a Managing Associate to Co-lead its Sports Sector
A press release from the firm shows that the firm remains committed to empowering junior lawyers by creating leadership roles for them.
The press release –
Linklaters has appointed Sînziana Ianc, a Managing Associate in its Brussels’ competition and antitrust practice as the new co-lead of the firm’s Sports Sector team, together with partners Julian Davies (Capital Markets) and Tom Cassels (Dispute Resolution) in London. The appointment furthers one of the firm’s key objectives to empower junior lawyers by giving them market-facing leadership positions.
Following the successful launch of the firm’s sports sector offering in May this year, Sînziana will be leading the sector team’s business development, helping to broaden an already impressive set of clients including notable football teams, governing bodies and financial sponsors. To date the team has advised sports clients on M&A and investment opportunities; debt and equity financing and securitisations; a variety of commercial matters including sponsorship and image rights; reputation management; regulatory and antitrust matters as well as real estate transactions.
The firm views the sector as a major international growth market at the forefront of digital development and consumer engagement, providing companies and investors with significant development and return opportunities as well as increasingly more complex legal challenges.
Linklaters is one of only a small number of global firms with a dedicated sports sector offering and provides clients with an international team of lawyers from practices including finance, M&A, tax, employment, competition/antitrust, intellectual property law, data protection, and dispute resolution. Together with the two partner leads, Sînziana will be tasked with developing the firm’s e-sports capabilities and expanding the practice into markets including France, Germany and Japan.
Sînziana commented on her new role:
“I feel very lucky as a Managing Associate to be given this opportunity by Linklaters to have the responsibility of running a sector team. Involving associates in these types of leadership roles helps provide us with more exposure and confidence as well as demonstrating how entrepreneurial the firm can be in encouraging the contribution of perspectives from across the business.”
Linklaters’ sports sector team has worked on significant transactions including the sale of a stake in The Everton Football Club Company Limited; the financing of football ground development in relation to Arsenal, Chelsea and other international football clubs and representing Real Madrid Football Club on its successful appeal in front of the Court of Justice of the European Union in relation to a state aid decision of the European Commission.
