David Ives

David Ives is a Partner and Head of Intellectual Property at Slaughter and May. David’s work spans across areas such as IP, Technology, Outsourcing and Sport. Regarding the latter, David has been recognised as a ‘key lawyer’ within Slaughter and May’s Sport team.[1]

1) Please can you describe how you started working in sports law? 

I’ve always had a huge passion for sport but stumbled into sports law a bit by accident. I had recently qualified into the IP team at Slaughter and May when the firm took on a large programme of work for Arsenal FC, at the time they were looking at developing what is now the Emirates stadium. I managed to get involved in their new kit deal with Nike and the naming rights and shirt sponsorship deals with Emirates. From there, I built up a really strong relationship with the commercial team at the club and ended up working on all manner of IP and other commercial contracts for them over a few years, including other sponsorship deals, media and content partnerships, tie-ups with overseas football academies and even the catering contract and beer supply agreements for the stadium. By this time Slaughters was becoming known as having a substantial sports practice and I branched out into advising on similar matters across F1, golf, cricket, sailing and rowing (as well as working for a number of other Premier League clubs). One thing I haven’t done is get involved with any of the firm’s work for Liverpool FC, which is a shame as that’s the team I’ve supported for the last 40 years!  

2) Do you find that working on IP matters in sport presents unique challenges, as compared to working on such matters in other sectors?

Yes and no. Like any sector, it’s essential to understand your client’s business and operating environment. There are also specific rules that you need to be familiar with, generally dictated by the relevant governing body. But much of the work I do draws on general areas of expertise in commercial contracting, intellectual property and so forth.  

3) Please can you describe a case that you have worked on in sport?

It’s not the biggest deal I’ve done, or the most complex, but I really enjoyed helping the Boat Race negotiate their title sponsorship agreements with BNY Mellon and Newton Investment Management back in 2012. The deals were a key part of the mission to bring the Women’s Boat Race to the same course as the men in London, enabling the Boat Race team finally to put the men’s and women’s races on a level footing where they belong.

4) Are there any particular legal trends or news stories in sport that you have been following? 

I think the LIV-PGA-DP World merger in golf is hugely interesting and will give rise to lots of debate (and probably disputes) as to the status of the LIV golfers and the money they were promised to join - and the money the non-LIV stars turned down to stay on the established tours.  

5) Do you have any predictions for future legal developments in sport?

As more and more sports reach a strong commercial footing, there will be ever more regulation and ever more scope for disputes to arise. One area in particular where we will see more focus in the coming years is on integrity, sports-washing and other ESG issues. Another is technology, which will drive innovation in sport and give opportunities to those willing to invest to find competitive advantages and enhance the consumer experience.

6) What advice would you give to aspiring sports lawyers? 

Don’t try to pigeonhole yourself as a “sports lawyer” too early. If you want to be a great lawyer, and potentially to end up in a really interesting and senior sports role, you’ll be much better served by gaining a broad experience across a wide range of sectors. Many of the skills I draw on in negotiating complex or high-value deals for sports clients were learned advising on much more mundane projects for considerably less-sexy clients.  

7) Please can you describe a typical day in your life?

There is no typical day! The biggest joy of this job is the sheer variety it brings. No project ever turns out quite as you expect and the constant need to innovate to meet new challenges is what keeps you interested. 
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[1] https://www.legal500.com/c/london/tmt-technology-media-and-telecoms/sport/