Sport Governance ConferenceIn Partnership with the Legal Panel Framework

Cynhadledd Llywodraethu ChwaraeonMewn Partneriaeth â’r Fframwaith Panel Cyfreithiol

KeynoteJustin Harris

Dolmans Solicitors / Cyfreithwyr Dolmans

Justin HarrisManaging Partner

Monday 28th October 2013Cardiff City Stadium

Legal Panel Framework (LPF)• A collaboration by Sport England, Sport and Recreation Alliance, Sport Wales and UK Sport

• Aim – to establish a panel of law firms to advise National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs) and Recreation organisations

• Over 100 firms across the UK applied

• 30 firms invited to tender

• 10 firms selected

The Vision

Tim Lamb, Chief Executive of the Sport and Recreation Alliance, said:

“The Legal Panel Framework demonstrates the benefits that can be

achieved through collaboration, and we are looking forward to working

with UK Sport, Sport England and Sport Wales as well as some of the

best legal firms in the sector to deliver these benefits. Sport and

recreation bodies are very aware of the complex legal environment in

which they operate and there is a real need for them to know which legal

firms to turn to and for what issues, in order to get advice and support at

a reasonable cost.”

Criteria for Selection

• During the selection process firms were assessed on their:

a) level of understanding of the sport and recreation sector

b) legal ability and capacity

c) ability to offer discounted rates/fixed fees/added value to the sector

Expertise

• Administrative and Public Law

• Bidding and Staging Major Events

• Charity and Trust Law

• Child Protection/Vulnerable Groups

• Contract/Grant Agreements

• Corporate Law

• Corporate Governance and Constitution

• Commercial Law

• Data Protection/Privacy Law

• Employment Law

Expertise (cont’d)

• Equality and Diversity Law

• Competition Law

• Intellectual Property Law

• Insolvency Law

• Immigration Law

• Litigation and Dispute Resolution

• New media/IT/Broadcasting

• Property, Planning and Construction Law

• Publishing and Media Law

• Regulatory and Disciplinary Law

Instructing legal panel firms

• S+RA, Sport England, UK Sport, Sport Wales and legal panel firms have collaborated to produce guidance, available at:

http://www.sportandrecreation.org.uk/smart-sport/instructing-legal-panel-firms• This guidance will assist you in understanding:

a) how to assess whether or not you need a lawyer to help with an issue

b) what basic information should be provided to your lawyer at the outset to ensure that a bespoke and direct advice can be provided

c) the questions you should ask your lawyer to ensure that you are clear on their process and costs

d) what you can expect from your lawyer

20-minute free helpline

• Each of the panel firms have also committed to providing a free 20-minute helpline service to sport and recreation organisations

• The helpline applies to new queries/matters only• If you have contacted another firm on the same query please let the lawyer

know• Check if the firm covers the area of law that you require assistance on before

contacting them • Details on how to use the helpline can be found at:

http://www.sportandrecreation.org.uk/smart-sport/free-20-minute-helpline

Pro-bono fundEach LPF firm has agreed to provide up to £5,000 worth of free legal advice per year to small NGBs and sport and recreation organisations to assist in the following areas of law:

•Charity & Trust Law including CASC registration

•Child Protection/Vulnerable Groups (CRB, Protection of Freedoms Act)

•Simple Contracts/Grant Agreements

•Corporate Law/Governance/Constitutional Affairs

•Employment Law

•Insolvency Law

•Property Law (such as leases, licences and security of tenure)

Note: The pro-bono fund does not apply to disputes or contentious matters

Pro-bono fund (cont’d)Eligibility requirements:

• Turnover of less than £500,000 (inclusive of grant income)• Must have no budget set aside for legal expenses• Must have no paid legal staff• Must be a member of the Sport and Recreation Alliance and/or be funded by UK Sport, Sport

England or Sport Wales

• See http://www.sportandrecreation.org.uk/smart-sport/pro-bono-fund for details on how to apply

Added Value

• Quarterly newsletter http://www.sportandrecreation.org.uk/programmes-initiatives/legal-panel-framework/newsletter

• LPF annual conference and firm workshops and events (run independently by legal panel firms) http://www.sportandrecreation.org.uk/programmes-initiatives/legal-panel-framework/events

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• The KPIs are a qualitative measure of the delivery of advisory and ancillary services to the NGBs

• Panel firms are expected to deliver high quality advice and services to the NGBs and must demonstrate that it has met the KPI requirements throughout that delivery

• The process seeks to ensure that there is sufficient due diligence of each firm’s performance throughout their appointment to the LPF

KPIs (cont’d)

KPI requirements:-

Delivery of advice;

Pricing;

Relationship Building;

Review Process.

Further information

• S+RA website http://www.sportandrecreation.org.uk/projects-programmes-and-initiatives/legalpanel

• Contact the S+RA governance team governance@sportandrecreation.org.uk

Thank you

Justin Harris

Managing Partner

justinh@dolmans.co.uk

Dolmans Solicitors

One Kingsway

Cardiff CF10 3DS

Tel: 029 2034 5531

www.dolmans.co.uk