Commercial Disputes & Winning In Advocacy: Seminar & SLAM Grand Finals

The SLAM Grand Finals weekend is now underway (12-13 April 2024), LawInSport is hosting the 5th Edition of the International Sports Law Arbitration Moot (SLAM) at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The Grand Finals is a fantastic occasion to celebrate the contribution of the sport and legal community who have helped develop this world-class competition; and to give an opportunity for top law students from around the globe to showcase their legal and advocacy skills in the setting of international sports arbitration.

Across the two days, 8 teams from 6 different countries will battle it out in front of 14 CAS Arbitrators for the right to be crowned SLAM 2024 Winners and receive the £1,500 prize money.

Drinks Reception at World Aquatics

To mark the Grand Finals a drinks reception is being hosted by World Aquatics on the 12 April 2024 following the quarter finals and semi-finals which take place earlier in the day.

Sports Law Seminar

The Grand Finals is preceded by a Sports Law Seminar bringing together experts to discuss and debate important topics in sports disputes and career development in sports.

There a limited spaces left to attend but you can register here if you would like to attend and support the event.

Political Neutrality & Athletes' Freedom of expression

Our expert panel will discuss athlete rights to freedom of expression and how this influences and sports regulation and commercial interest in sport. Speakers:

Assessing Damages in Sport Disputes

Our expert panel will be exploring the financial tools that can be used to assess damages in commercial arbitration and its application and future influence on awarding damages in sports disputes.

From In-House Counsel to Sports Executive - How Build a Successful Career in Sport

In a fire-side chat, Ian Smith, Managing Director at Relevent Sports Group, will share his experience and lessons learned from his successful career across some of leading sports organisations, and sports agencies and media, and moving from legal director to sports executive.

Previously, Ian has held roles including Director, Commercial & Operational Legal, FIFA, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Catalyst Media Group Ltd & Senior Business Affairs Counsel, TEAM Marketing AG and Director, Legal Affairs, Sportfive.

Winning in Advocacy: Keynote Speech

After the SLAM Grand Finals am award ceremony will following a keynote speech by the esteemed barrister, arbitrator and judge, Michael Beloff KC, where he will share his secrets on "Winning in Advocacy".

We would like to thank the arbitrators, advocates, the LawInSport team, volunteers, sponsors and supporters for making this possible, and of course the students who have participated which is the reasons for the SLAM being established.

Agenda

FRIDAY 12 April 2024

10:00 – 11:30: Quarter Finals Round 1 and 2 (Private)

12:00 – 13:30: Quarter Finals Round 3 and 4 (Private)

16:00 – 17:30: Semi Finals 1 and 2 (Private)

19:00 – 21:00: Drinks reception at World Aquatics

Day 2: 13 April 2024 (Saturday)

10:00 – 10:30: Welcome reception

10:30 – 10:40: Welcome address by Matthieu Reeb, Director General, Court of Arbitration for Sport

10:40 – 11:30 - Political neutrality in sport and athletes' freedom of expression

Our expert panel will discuss athlete rights to freedom of expression and how this influences and sports regulation and commercial interest in sport. Speakers:

Dr. David Stadtfeld, Senior Associate, ASD Law
Vincent Warnecke, Associate, ASD Law
Lea Krüger, German National Athlete (Fencing)
Stephen Townley, JAMS Mediator & Arbitrator & CAS Arbitrator

11:35 – 12:30 - Winning damages cases in sports arbitration: Our expert panel will be exploring the financial tools that can be used to assess damages in commercial arbitration and is application and future influence on awarding damages sports disputes. Speakers:

Shalabh Gupta, Associate Director, Secretariat Advisors
Amran Nawaz, Manager, Secretariat Advisors
Mark Hovell, Partner, Mills & Reeve & CAS Arbitrator
Andre Brantjes, Founder & Managing Partner, BrantjesAdvocaten & CAS Arbitrator

12:45 – 13:45 - Lunch

13:45 - 14:30 - From Lawyer to Sports Executive

A fireside chat with Ian Smith about his career from … and reflection on transitioning to a

Ian Smith, Managing Director, International Business DevelopmentRelevent Sports Group & Former Director, Commercial & Operational Legal, FIFA
Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport

14:45 – 16:00: Grand Finals

16:00 - 17:15 - Refreshments & networking

17:15 - 18:30 - Awards & Keynote Speech by Michael Beloff KC - Winning in advocacy

Michael Beloff KC will provide a keynote speech will provide insights and advice on how to win in advocacy, drawying on his illustratus career as an advocate, arbitrator and judge.

The confirmed judging line up for the semi-finals and finals of the competition are:

Michael Beloff KC, Barrister, Blackstone Chambers
Raphaëlle Favre Schnyder, Attorney at law, Partner - Barandun & Alternate Judge at Appellate Court of Valais/Wallis
Mark Hovell, Partner, Mills & Reeve
Martina Spreitzer-Kropiunik, Vice President, Criminal Court Vienna
Frans de Weger, Chairman, FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber & Partner/Founder, BMDW Advocaten
Stephen Townley, JAMS Mediator and Arbitrator
André Brantjes, Founder & Managing Partner, BrantjesAdvocaten
Despina Mavromati, Of Counsel, BianchiSchwald LLP
Marianne Saroli, Senior Legal Counsel, Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA)
Prof Luigi Fumagalli, Professor, Università degli Studi
Bernhard Welten, Founder, KanzleiWelten
Kwadjo Adjepong, CAS Arbitrator
Jeffrey Benz, Mediator Arbitrator Referee Special Master, JAMS & Door Tenant, 4 New Square

The teams in the finals rounds are:

University of Ghent (Belgium)
2 teams from University of Chicago (USA)
O.P Jindal Global University (India)
UCLA School of Law (USA) & University of Essex (UK)
University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Australian National University (Australia)
University of Law (UK)

About SLAM

The international Sports Law Arbitration Moot ("SLAM") is a world class competition, with the aim to promote greater knowledge of the values and rules of international sports arbitration, the go to dispute resolution mechanism in the sector.

SLAM provides students from around the world, no matter their background, the opportunity to:

Develop and showcase their legal and advocacy skills before the world’s leading arbitrators and practitioners virtually and in-person;
Gain real world experience of international sports arbitration under the leading procedural rules;
Receive training on writing submissions and advocacy from some of the world’s leading advocates and arbitrators in world sport.

Friday, 12 April 2024