Henry Goldschmidt
Senior Associate
Henry Goldschmidt is a senior associate in the London Litigation Practice, working within the Sports & Entertainment Industry Group and focusing on contentious and regulatory sports matters.
Henry has successfully represented stakeholders from across the sports industry, ranging from international federations, national governing bodies, leagues, clubs and teams, to event organisers, intermediaries, senior executives, coaches and athletes. He has recently acted before various national/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, anti-doping, concussion and brain injury, agency disputes, rule and policy drafting, eligibility issues, ethics complaints, safeguarding, selection appeals, internal investigations and international transfers.
Prior to transitioning into the sports sector in 2016, Henry spent four years practising commercial litigation and international arbitration at a leading international law firm, which included a six-month secondment to a key insurance client.
- 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 within the sport 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.
- Representing the Deputy President of an international federation in relation to alleged breaches of its code of ethics.
- 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 Grand Tour winner), who was cleared of any wrongdoing following an extensive investigation into alleged breaches of anti-doping rules.
- Acting for a well-known European basketball club following a decision to relegate it from the top tier of its domestic league for allegedly forfeiting games.
- Advising former rugby internationals (some of whom are suffering from early-onset dementia) in relation to concussion and brain injury issues, including their prospective claims and remedies.
- Advising an FA-registered intermediary in relation to unpaid commission, conflicting remuneration provisions and the termination of a representation contract.
- Advising an international footballer in relation to (complications surrounding) a potential transfer from a European club to the Chinese Super League.
- Advising a global sports event organiser in respect of proposed changes to its rules and regulations.
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 and Affiliations
- British Association for Sport and Law