International corporate law firm gunnercooke has launched a specialist sports division – gunnercookeSport – to enact on its teams ties to high-profile organisations such as FIFA and the NFL.
Steve Kavanagh, former Director of the English Football League (EFL) and ex-Chief Executive of Millwall Football Club, will become the Head of gunnercookeSport and oversee legal operations.
Gunnercooke’s team has experience working with the NFL and FIFA, as well as work in tennis, boxing, cricket, rugby, sailing and athletics.
The gunnercookeSport team will cover a range of sporting areas and activities, overseeing legal counsel for sponsorships, contract negotiations, image rights, regulatory compliance, employment issues, personal finance and tax, and other key areas.
Darryl Cooke, Founder of gunnercooke, said: “With the regulatory environment evolving, there is more pressure on clubs, players and the sports community to do the right thing.
“They need advice and guidance from trusted advisors, and we have developed gunnercookeSport to meet this need. Steve is the perfect candidate to lead the department, having a wide breadth of experience in sports business management, meaning he truly understands the industry’s needs.
“I believe he will help bring a uniqueness to gunnercooke and our sports work and we’re thrilled to welcome him to the team.”
Kavanagh has over 25 years of C-suit experience in football within his aforementioned roles. He has served as a CEO and Finance Director across all levels of the English football pyramid, including the Premier League.
Furthermore, Kavanagh has held roles at the FA, serving as Vice Chairman of the FA Cup Committee and working in high-ranking positions at Charlton Athletic and Southend United.
During his time as EFL Director, Kavanagh represented Championship clubs during the Fan-Led Review, a key independent review of bettering football ownership and sustainability following several financial issues that impacted Bury FC and Bolton Wanderers.
Now in his new role at gunnercookeSport, he will spearhead the firm’s launch into the sports industry, compiling its existing expertise across practice areas including competition law, employment, corporate, emerging technologies such as blockchain and crypto, and real estate.
Kavanagh commented: “I’m really excited to be joining gunnercooke for this unique opportunity. The team has experience working with some of the biggest sports clubs and organisations and I’m looking forward to bringing them together to create a specialist full-service offering that is completely unique to the market.”
