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Leading European Sports Lawyer Benoit Keane Joins Northridge

LONDON/BRUSSELS – Northridge today announced that it has added leading sports lawyer Benoît Keane as a consultant to its top tier ranked team.  Keane is regarded as one of the leading experts in Europe on the application of competition law to sport.  He regularly acts in cases before the European Commission, the European Courts and CAS.  His landmark cases include Striani v. UEFA concerning financial fair play and the recent European Commission ISU decision concerning the authorisation of independent sports events.  Benoit is dual qualified as a Solicitor (England & Wales) and Avocat (Barreau de Bruxelles).

Keane is recognised as the “the best sports lawyer in competition law” by Who’s Who Legal and as “a standout name for the intersection of sports and competition”.  Alongside acting as a consultant to Northridge, Keane will continue to run his own Brussels based practice.

Founding partner Ian Lynam: We have grown quickly in our first eight months and, in addition to adding strength in depth to our core team of associates, we are looking to bring in recognised experts in areas which can expand our offering.  We are absolutely delighted to be adding to our team such a prominent figure as Benoit; he is rightfully recognised as the leading expert in relation to the application of competition law to sport.  Ben has built a reputation in the sports industry for delivering when the stakes are highest.  He will be a key contributor in continuing the growth and expanding reach of our practice.“

Northridge launched in October 2017 with an impressive and diverse client base including The Football Association, British Horseracing Authority, leading Premier League football clubs, the Welsh Rugby Union, Premiership Rugby, a roster of high profile sports stars such as Dele Alli, Thierry Henry, Cesc Fabregas, Raheem Sterling and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.  The firm also serves as Solicitors and Secretariat to the on-going Independent Review of Integrity in Tennis.

In the eight months since launch, Northridge’s offering has attracted an outstanding list of new clients including Puma, Confederation of African Football (CAF), Rugby Football League (RFL), France Rugby (FFR), Neymar, Kevin de Bruyne, Mohammed Salah, Betway, AEG Worldwide, Roc Nation and Dragoneer Investment Group.

Northridge focuses on the most sensitive and complex matters in sport. It offers a unique combination of scale and expertise. The team comprises four partners and 18 other fee earners, giving the depth required to staff the largest and most demanding projects. The firm provides a broad range of services from disputes and regulatory to commercial and corporate. It advises on the most complex inquiries and investigations, “bet the company” acquisitions, the structuring of new formats and competitions, the highest value sponsorship deals and the most critical issues for superstar athletes.