“Pannick on the streets of London” in February 2023 after the Premier League introduced that it could be with greater than 100 alleged breaches of its guidelines.
One other 19 months later and Lord Pannick – the inspiration behind that banner – was the primary man seen for day one in every of a listening to that guarantees to develop into crucial Premier League fixture of the season.
Described as a “guess the corporate” case by The Lawyer journal, each the Premier League and Manchester Metropolis have assembled a number of the most interesting – and most costly – authorized brains within the nation for a case during which prices are anticipated to run into tens of tens of millions of kilos. A non-public arbitration listening to between the identical two events into the legality of the league’s related social gathering transaction guidelines came about in June and, in authorized circles, there have been rumours of greater than 60 legal professionals being within the room.
Precise authorized groups for what’s now being billed sport’s ‘trial of the century’ haven’t been publicly disclosed however, with legal professionals seen arriving on the Worldwide Dispute Decision Centre in London on Monday, key gamers from the anticipated line-ups have now emerged:
Who’re the important thing gamers for Manchester Metropolis?What’s the purple cartel?How a lot is that this all costing?Staff Manchester Metropolis
Instructed by Chris Yates, Clifford Likelihood accomplice and head of the agency’s sports activities and leisure group:
Lord Pannick KC (Blackstone Chambers)
Described by The Lawyer as “one of many fashionable doyens of the English Bar”, Pannick is variously reputed to cost between £5,000 and £10,000 for an hour of his experience. That places him firmly within the Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne league of authorized expertise. The 68-year-old was referred to as to the Bar in 1979 and has since labored on a number of the most well-known instances in British authorized historical past, together with when he acted for the Sunday Occasions in again within the Nineteen Eighties. He was appointed silk in 1992 and his purchasers have since included Queen Elizabeth II, Diana, Princess of Wales and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
He additionally famously acted towards the Authorities within the Supreme Court docket case that efficiently stopped Boris Johnson’s prorogation of parliament in 2019. He then for breaking Covid 19 laws. Authorized specialists imagine that Pannick – apparently an Arsenal fan – has been recruited above all for his formidable advocacy abilities in his presentation of arguments.
Paul Harris KC (Monckton Chambers)
Named ‘Barrister of the Yr’ at The Lawyer awards in 2021, Harris’s submission included a private testimony from Simon Cliff, the final counsel on the Metropolis Group. Harris, who had been a trusted adviser to the membership for nearly 20 years, led Manchester Metropolis’s towards the Uefa ban over alleged breaches of the monetary truthful play.
Cliff referred to as the case “very advanced and extremely charged”, describing Harris as “one of many brightest and most technically gifted legal professionals” he had ever labored with. Harris has additionally acted on the planet of Components One for Lewis Hamilton and for Liverpool in . In authorized circles, he has received specific fame for his work in what has been described as the most important ever UK damages class motion: Merricks v Mastercard.
Philip Marshall KC (Serle Court docket)
Recognized for his mastery of element and forensic dissection of advanced instances, Marshall specialises in industrial disputes and finance, notably worldwide fraud. He works at Serle Court docket with James Mather, who can be understood to be enjoying a key function in Metropolis’s authorized group and is one other professional in massive scale and complicated industrial disputes.
Reported Manchester Metropolis full authorized line up
Blackstone Chambers
Monckton Chambers
Serle Court docket
Phillip Marshall KC
James Mather
Staff Premier League
Instructed by Max Duthie, Fowl & Fowl accomplice and Cambridge rugby blue:
Adam Lewis KC (Blackstone Chambers)
Named ‘Sports activities Silk of the Yr’ for 2023, Lewis is an professional on sporting rulebooks and has labored throughout a number of main sports activities, notably for breaching wage caps. This culminated with Saracens’ relegation from rugby’s high flight. Lewis co-wrote the textbook Sport: Regulation and Observe, which extends past 2,500 pages, retails at £325, and claims to be the main authorized title on sports activities legislation within the UK.
He was additionally notably concerned in instances arising out of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, and labored for the Premier League following the try to type a European Tremendous League. The analysis agency Chambers and Companions says that Lewis “has an especially sharp and fierce mind” and, of their authorized information, mentioned that he was “broadly considered the main sports activities barrister within the UK”. He spearheaded the for breaches of economic laws.
Jason Pobjoy (Blackstone Chambers)
Combining his industrial observe with publicly funded and professional bono human rights observe, Pobjoy acted for the lead claimants in problem towards the UK Authorities’s Rwanda asylum plan. A Cambridge graduate, he has beforehand additionally acted for Harry, the Duke of Sussex, in a judicial evaluate that challenged security-related selections by the Authorities. Pobjoy has labored extensively for the Premier League in recent times, together with with Lewis within the case towards Everton after which as common counsel within the attraction board case involving Everton’s prices. The Premier League had sought £4.9 million however a ruling mentioned that Everton ought to solely pay £1.7 million. Pobjoy had argued that “the membership’s unreasonable conduct within the proceedings unnecessarily and considerably elevated” prices for the Premier League. Everton mentioned that the Premier League had paid above commonplace hourly charges for its authorized work, describing the prices as “eye-watering”.
Andrew Hunter KC (Blackstone Chambers)
One other member of Blackstone Chambers, Hunter enhances Lewis’s experience within the sporting world with a specialism in industrial and monetary legislation.
Described as “one of many main barristers working throughout industrial litigation, civil fraud and worldwide industrial arbitration”, he applies that experience to the game, media and leisure sectors. Hunter has received reward for his capacity to rapidly course of advanced info. Notable sporting instances during which he has beforehand acted included rugby’s ‘Bloodgate’ scandal and the ‘Spygate’ controversy in Components One. The Premier League group additionally includes a number of different legal professionals from Blackstone however it’s unclear whether or not they are going to embody Jane Mulcahy, one other KC and famend sport lawyer, who has labored for the Premier League but additionally Manchester Metropolis on its evaluate into the paedophile Barry Bennell. She was not amongst these seen arriving on the listening to on Monrday.
Reported Premier League full authorized line up
Blackstone Chambers
Adam Lewis KC
Andrew Hunter KC
Jason Pobjoy
Shane Sibbel
Tom Cleaver
Will Bordell
Emmeline Plews
Femi Adekoya