North West lawyer qualifies as UK anti-doping advisor

A lawyer at Harrison Drury solicitors has qualified as a UK anti-doping (UKAD) accredited advisor.

James Dickinson, who joined the firm in 2015, has worked towards the accreditation as part of the creation of its specialised sport sector team.

Being an accredited UKAD advisor means James will play a key role in advising, educating and informing a range of sports people and teams across the region on the value of clean sport.

The firm’s specialised sports sector team also advises clients on a range of sports legislation, including arbitration, betting and gambling rules within sport, player contracts, organisational structures, intellectual property rights and stadium leases.

James, who currently works in both the corporate and commercial teams at Harrison Drury, said: “Anti-doping and the legislation that surrounds the issue is something that’s been at the forefront of the sporting industry for some time now, often overshadowing the fantastic ability of athletes and teams.

“Being a UKAD advisor is more about providing an education to the sporting industry and giving the players an understanding of the resources and advice that is available. Rather than being reactive to problems, we want to be proactive and stop issues occurring.”

The sports sector team at Harrison Drury currently represents several large sports clubs across the region. The team also delivers educational seminars on topics such as image rights with the next one due to be hosted in September.