Harper Macleod makes second splash in sports law with major appointment

Harper Macleod is again making a splash in the world of sports law after being appointed legal adviser to the Glasgow 2018 European Championships – an exciting new multi-sport event that brings together some of Europe’s leading competitions.

Harper Macleod’s appointment as legal adviser to Glasgow 2018 builds on its involvement in the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, where the firm carried out a similar role. The announcement was made at Tollcross International Swimming Centre, with Britain’s Olympic silver medal winning swimmer Dan Wallace taking to the starting blocks alongside the law firm’s chief executive Martin Darroch and Glasgow 2018 Championships director Colin Hartley.

To be staged every four years, the European Championships will combine the existing European Championships of athletics, aquatics, cycling, gymnastics, rowing and triathlon along with a new golf team championships. The first edition will be held in 2018 in a unique sporting partnership between host cities Glasgow and Berlin.

This partnership will create a new event on the world stage elevating the status of European Champions and attracting a potential television audience of up to 1.03 billion across the continent, with a wider audience via digital platforms. Attendances across Glasgow 2018 are expected to be in the region of 250,000.

Harper Macleod will provide a broad range of legal services required to support of delivery of the Glasgow 2018 European Championships, including commercial contracts, IP, governance and regulatory matters. The firm was appointed to the role following a competitive public procurement exercise.

Mr Darroch said: “We know just what it takes to make a multi-sport event such as this happen, and happen successfully as Glasgow proved three years ago. Glasgow 2018 will give us an opportunity to once again use the unique set of legal skills required to deliver a championships that everyone can enjoy and be proud of.

“We are lawyers who love sport, it is in the firm’s DNA, so we were determined to win this role once we knew the country had landed the first ever European Championships, just as we did with the Commonwealth Games almost six years ago. We’re delighted to have been appointed to advise on the inaugural event which we are sure is going to excite the Scottish sporting public.

“One clear legacy of the previous championships is that Glasgow, and indeed Scotland, is now regarded as an international sporting centre of excellence and major events such as this provide economic stimulus as well as a feel good factor which is almost impossible to quantify.”