Ian Lynam
UK Guide 2025
Band 1 : Sport
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
+44 20 3957 8809Share profile
Band 1
About
Provided by Ian Lynam
Practice Areas
Ian’s practice spans a wide range of transactional and regulatory areas of sports law. He is recognised by the legal directories as a leading “commercial dealmaker” “who has become a clear leader in the UK” and “an excellent lawyer, whose knowledge of the sports industry is unparalleled”.
Ian’s recent work highlights include advising:
• Red Bull on its investment in Leeds United FC;
• Atairos on its investment in Aston Villa FC;
• Michele Kang on her acquisition of London City Lionesses;
• Farhad Moshiri on the sale of Everton FC;
• Chelsea FC on its acquisition by the Boehly/Clearlake consortium;
• Elliott on the sale of AC Milan; and
• Spotify on its partnership with FC Barcelona.
Ian is a contributing author to a number of leading textbooks including “Sport: Law and Practice”, “Football and the Law” and “The Negotiator’s Desk Reference”. He regularly speaks at conferences (including previous MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conferences) and lectures on a number of undergraduate and postgraduate university programmes.
Ian is ranked in the “Hall of Fame” for Sport by Legal 500 and in Band 1 for UK Sport by Chambers and Partners. Ian is also recommended in Who’s Who Legal in the Sports & Entertainment category.
Ian is admitted to practise in England & Wales, Ireland and New York.
Career
2017 – Present: Founding Partner, Northridge Law LLP
2010 – 2017: Partner, Charles Russell Speechlys
2007 – 2010: Associate, Charles Russell Speechlys
2004 – 2007: Associate, Slaughter and May
2003 – 2004: Associate, Arthur Cox (Dublin)
2000 – 2003: Trainee, Arthur Cox (Dublin)
Professional Memberships
Law Society of Ireland
New York State Bar Association
British Association for Sport and Law
Co-chair International Forum of Sports Law
Chambers Review
UK
Ian Lynam is renowned for his work assisting leading sports clients in the full range of transactional and regulatory activity including financial regulation, M&A, and players' transfers and contracts. He also has a strong focus on the use of sports data.
Ian is very strong on the corporate side.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Ian is one of the best lawyers I have worked with. His expertise is vast and he is extremely personable and solutions-focused."
"One of the best sports lawyers around."
"Ian is one of the best lawyers I have worked with. His expertise is vast and he is extremely personable and solutions-focused."
"One of the best sports lawyers around."