The beautiful game of football is changing. Both on and off the field.

Our mission

As the regulatory environment evolves, there is more pressure on clubs and players to do the right thing, legally and morally. They need advice and guidance from trusted advisors in the world of law, business and finance to assist them in navigating through these changes with ease. gunnercookeSport has been developed with the goal of meeting this need.  We pair the expertise and integrity of an award-winning international law firm with the commercial expertise of industry leaders who have built international football clubs. The result is a unique blend of experts who can advise on the full range of sport-related matters for football clubs and players at every stage of their journey.

Supporting every step of the journey

At gunnercookeSport, we are committed to supporting clubs and players at every stage of their journey. From contract negotiation to pensions, tax, real estate, and financial advice, we provide comprehensive services that cover all aspects of their professional and personal lives. Our goal is to be a trusted partner, offering tailored guidance to ensure long-term success and security.

Our services include

  • Regulation, Governance, and Integrity

  • Football Club Acquisitions Sales and Investments

  • Club Reviews and audits

  • Dispute Resolution

  • Employment, including Playing & Coaching Staff Contract Negotiation

  • Litigation and Arbitration

  • Disciplinary

  • Integrity

  • Individual Representation

  • Player/Athlete Contracts and Transfers

  • Image Rights

  • Immigration, Visas, and Governing Body Endorsements

  • Sponsorship & Partnership Arrangements

  • Merchandising, Licensing and Affinity

  • Broadcasting, Digital Media, Social Media and Data

  • Event Organisation and Venues

  • Brand Protection and Licensing

  • Competition Law

  • Transactions and Acquisitions

About gunnercooke

gunnercooke is the fastest growing corporate law firm in the UK and making its mark globally with 16 offices in the US, Germany, CEE, Scotland and England. We are a collective of more than 500 professionals, with the depth of experience which makes us genuine experts in our fields. Together, gunnercooke’s people have strength across just about every corporate discipline and sector, offering legal, commercial and strategic advice to deliver real value to the businesses and clients we work with, which span from multinational enterprises through to unicorns and non-for-profit organisations. Our breadth of expertise covers some of the most interesting and important emerging disciplines, from ESG and charity law, to blockchain and competition. We have been recognised for over 80 industry awards, including The Times’ Best Law Firms 2024 and Lexis Nexis Law Firm of the Year 2023.

Our clients

  • The FA

  • International cricket Council

  • FIFA

  • The International Olympic Committee

  • EFL

Our team

The gunnercookeSport team has a wealth of experience across the business. Comprised of Darryl Cooke, Founder of gunnercooke LLP, Steve Kavanagh, Former CEO of Millwall FC and JP Mowberry, Football Lawyer at gunnercooke.