Henry Goldschmidt

    Henry Goldschmidt

    Director

    henry.goldschmidt@squirepb.com View Full Bio

    Henry Goldschmidt is a director in the London Litigation Practice, working within the Sports & Entertainment Industry Group and focusing on contentious and regulatory sports matters.

    Henry Goldschmidt has successfully represented stakeholders from across the sports industry, including international federations, national governing bodies, leagues, clubs, teams, competition organisers, agencies, investors, senior executives, coaches and athletes. In addition to the English courts, he has acted before various national and international tribunals and the Court of Arbitration for Sport – many of them high-profile cases.

    Henry has advised on a broad spectrum of issues, including financial fair play, multi-club ownership, owners’ and directors’ duties, anti-doping, concussion, agency, governance, eligibility, safeguarding, selection appeals, negligence, contractual claims, the sale and purchase of clubs/teams and international transfers. He has also conducted several investigations (of varying scopes and sizes) in relation to matters of sporting integrity, executive misconduct, athlete welfare and discrimination.

    Henry has completed the BASL Post Graduate Certificate in Sports Law from De Montfort University (with distinction). Prior to focusing on the sports sector, Henry spent four years practising commercial litigation and international arbitration at a leading international law firm and has also spent time in-house on secondment.

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    Sports-related Work

    • Acting for Nottingham Forest Football Club in proceedings brought by the Premier League for breaching its Profitability and Sustainability Rules.
    • Advising Knighthead Capital regarding its purchase of a 49% stake in Birmingham Phoenix, a cricket franchise that competes in The Hundred competition.
    • Advising various football clubs and shareholders in relation to UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules.
    • Conducting an independent investigation on behalf of a national governing body following allegations of serious misconduct by its (now former) president.
    • Advising various Premier League and EFL football clubs in relation to compliance with domestic/international regulations, including the relevant Owners’ and Directors’ Tests, Profitability and Sustainability Rules, UEFA Club Competitions Regulations, UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Sustainability Regulations and FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players.
    • Acting for an EFL football club in relation to a claim for professional negligence and breaches of contractual, tortious and/or statutory duties.
    • Acting for a service provider in relation to a multimillion-euro claim (for breach of contract) in the English High Court against a major international sports federation.
    • Acting for a First-Class County cricket club in connection with an independent investigation into allegations of discrimination and institutional racism.
    • Conducting an independent investigation for national governing body in relation to alleged integrity breaches by an employee.
    • Advising Knighthead Capital on sports regulatory matters in connection with its takeover of Birmingham City Football Club.
    • Advising a lifestyle brand regarding its sponsorship and purchase of a motorsport team.
    • Advising the manager of a major European football club in relation to complications surrounding his move from the Premier League.
    • Acting for a national governing body in disciplinary proceedings against a former coach, who was found guilty of multiple misconduct charges and banned from coaching for life.
    • Representing a professional league in various disciplinary proceedings against clubs for breaches of financial fair play regulations.
    • Acting for a national governing body in its prosecution of an athlete for making public comments likely to bring the sport into disrepute.
    • Acting for athletes, teams and athlete support personnel in multiple anti-doping proceedings before domestic/international tribunals and the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Clients in this field have included Olympic gold medallists, World Champion boxers, and international footballers and rugby players.
    • Acting for a national governing body in relation to various selection appeals by athletes omitted from international competitions or specialist performance programmes.
    • Acting for a cyclist (multiple Tour de France winner), who was cleared of any wrongdoing following an extensive investigation into alleged breaches of anti-doping rules.
    • Advising former rugby internationals (some of whom are suffering from early-onset dementia) in relation to concussion and brain injury issues.

    Non-sports Work

    • Acting for a state-owned oil company in the successful (total) defence of a US$100 million+ claim in the English High Court for alleged contractual losses relating to the purchase and sale of various cargoes. (Sahara Energy Resource Ltd v. SONARA [2024] EWHC 3163 (Comm))
    • Advising a major international brewing company in relation to a multimillion-pound valuation dispute with a joint venture partner and the ensuing expert determination process.
    • Advising a public figure in connection with potential claims against a UK political party and national newspaper.
    • Acting for a global talent agency in a dispute between a well-known musician and the promoter of an international music festival.
    • Advising an advertising company in relation to a dispute (and subsequent settlement) with a licensor regarding a digital marketing licence.
    • Acting for a digital service provider in a contractual claim against a public body in relation to the COVID-19 track and trace system, securing a highly favourable settlement at mediation (being 95% of the initial quantum claimed).
    • Advising an overseas governmental entity (and drafting the requisite underlying rules and regulations) in relation to the implementation of betting and gaming activity in its jurisdiction.

    Education

    • De Montfort University, Postgraduate Certificate in Sports Law, 2022
    • BPP, London, Legal Practice Course, 2009
    • BPP, London, Graduate Diploma in Law, 2008
    • Durham University, BA Hons, 2007

    Admissions

    • England and Wales, 2012

    Memberships & Affiliations

    • British Association for Sport and Law
    • Henry is recognised by Legal 500 as a “key lawyer” for both “Sport” and “Commercial Litigation: Mid-Market”.

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