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Manchester law firm shortlisted for services to football

The Manchester office of Mills & Reeve has been shortlisted in the 2013 Northwest Football Awards for its outstanding services to football, supporting players in the region from amateur to professional level.

The awards, hosted at Lancashire County Cricket Club in November, recognise the region’s finest contributors to the beautiful game, whether on the pitch or in the boardroom.

Mills & Reeve has been recognised for the role it plays in advising players’ associations and their members, professional football clubs, players and agents on regulatory and legal matters across a number of areas including sports law, tax, pensions, property, crime and health and safety.

The firm’s sports sector is headed up by Mark Hovell who is the head of the firm’s Manchester office. Mills & Reeve is one of only a small number of legal firms which truly specialises in sports law and particularly in football, and in 2012 was appointed as the solicitors for the Manchester FA. The Mills & Reeve team has also acted on a number of international disputes for local clubs.

Mark, the only Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) appointed English arbitrator in the North West and one of a handful in the UK, commented on the nomination: “The Northwest has long been synonymous with football across the globe. This awards’ ceremony is instrumental in aligning the region’s top clubs, players and the grass roots game with the invaluable off the pitch support required to keep the sport running at a world class level.

“It is a testament to the enlarged team’s hard work to be listed among the region’s, and the world’s, leading clubs, players and associated businesses.”

On a community level, Mills & Reeve provides fundraising assistance for the Factory Youth Zone in Harpurhey which offers five-a-side activities for local, underprivileged young people, and has previously supported national charity Street League at a local level working to change the lives of disadvantaged youngsters through football. Mark Hovell is also a trustee of the James Milner Foundation, a charity established by Manchester City and England international James Milner.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Mills & Reeve, Manchester .