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Expertise Industries

Portuguese Legal Expertise for the Sport Sector  

Specialised legal solutions for athletes and sports organisations

Portugal’s leading sports law team at Morais Leitão is committed to providing comprehensive legal services to professional athletes, sports clubs, and governing bodies operating across Portugal. With a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by clients in the sport industry, our advisors offer guidance and practical solutions tailored to their specific needs. Whether you require assistance in negotiating complex sports contracts, navigating regulatory compliance of Portuguese law, or addressing any other legal matter related to athlete representation, image rights in sports, or sports dispute resolution, our experienced professionals are well-prepared to protect your interests.

 

Full-service legal expertise    

Morais Leitão, one of Portugal's top law firms, offers comprehensive sports law services to companies and legal firms operating within Portuguese jurisdiction. With decades of accumulated experience and a professional team of full-service lawyers, we provide expertise in various areas of law, including contract, commercial and financial, dispute resolution, European and competition law, tax, labour, criminal (also including cybercrime and cybersecurity), privacy and personal data, intellectual property, and public law.

Our dedicated sports law team has evolved to meet clients’ growing needs in the sports industry, combining the concept of full-service firm with one-stop shop. We offer the most reputable legal services on the Portuguese market, providing multidisciplinary and transversal legal advice for a wide range of sports-related matters.

 

Key Sports Law Services at Morais Leitão:

  • Sports contract negotiation and drafting  
  • Athlete representation
  • Acquisition and sale of shares in sports assets, including new financing models
  • Financing of sports clubs and sports companies
  • Financial advice on project finance, construction, and licensing of sports facilities
  • Sport image rights and intellectual property protection
  • Tax advice and tax compliance for the sports industry
  • Legal support of sports event organisation
  • Sports dispute resolution involving regulatory bodies, national/international federations, judicial or arbitration bodies in disciplinary
  • Negotiation of sports events broadcasting rights
  • Labour and employment law for athletes
  • Sport insurance-related issues

 

Our work in the sport sector

Our team regularly advises athletes, clubs, intermediaries, federations, associations, investors, and sponsors, including some of the most prominent national and international players.

In the football sector, we represent clients in high-profile dispute resolution cases, coordinating their international legal dimension whenever necessary. Our service stands out for its adaptation to clients' strategic needs, pragmatically framing the dimensions of crisis management with teams sensitised to media impact.

We prioritise training and compliance, proactively monitor the evolution of the regulatory framework, and promote a culture of constant updating and adherence to sector rules.

 

Morais Leitão global reach and legal services without borders

At Morais Leitão, we understand the importance of providing comprehensive cross-border legal support within international sports law. Our strategic international presence offers clients a truly global legal reach. Our network of firms, the Morais Leitão Legal Circle, spans Angola, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Portugal, and Singapore, allowing seamless collaboration as trusted partners in these regions.

Moreover, as the exclusive member firm for Portugal of Lex Mundi, a globally recognised alliance of independent law firms, we have access to legal expertise in more than 120 countries worldwide. This powerful network enables us to deliver efficient and coordinated legal solutions for even the most complex international sports law challenges, regardless of jurisdiction.

Our dedicated sports law team actively collaborates with key stakeholders in Portugal, including federations, leagues, and the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Team members also participate in sports law training courses, university programs, and conferences on sports law and are recognised as experts in the sector.

 

The Morais Leitão’s sports law team is available to discuss your needs and leverage our expertise in navigating the Portuguese legal landscape.