Northridge Law LLP

Overview

Northridge is an independent specialist sports law firm headquartered in London that focuses on high-value, complex matters across the sporting ecosystem. The firm combines litigation, regulatory and transactional capabilities and acts for governing bodies, clubs, investors, athletes and sports-tech businesses on cross-border and domestic matters. It is regularly instructed on landmark regulatory disputes, major club transactions and sports finance mandates, and positions itself as the go-to adviser for matters “when the stakes are highest.” Northridge also operates a dedicated sports tech and transactions initiative (Northridge TRACK) to support high-growth companies and investor clients in the sector.

• Headquarters: London, 90 Bartholomew Close
• Offices: 1

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

• Sports Law
• Corporate & M&A
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Commercial Contracts
• Competition & Antitrust
• Employment
• Financial Services & Regulation
• Media & Entertainment
• Regulatory & Compliance
• Technology & Digital
• Banking & Finance
• Real Estate
• Infrastructure & Projects
• Intellectual Property

Geographic Focus: Headquartered in London with a UK-focused client base and a pronounced international reach across Europe and the Americas. The firm advises clients and conducts transactions and disputes involving jurisdictions throughout Europe (including Spain, Portugal, France, Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, Italy) and the Americas (including the USA and Brazil), and appears before international sports tribunals such as the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Training Contract

• Academic Requirements: Minimum A‑Level grades have been removed from trainee recruitment requirements.
• Application Deadline: 2026-01-30

Mentorship

The firm supports mentoring and encourages Northridge team members to act as mentors to individuals from underrepresented groups; mentoring is promoted both informally and through external partnerships.

Notable Matters

What Northridge Law LLP Looks For

Key Competencies

• Commercial awareness (particularly in sport and media rights)
• Sector-specific interest and knowledge in sport
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Strong written and oral advocacy for litigation roles
• Regulatory awareness and attention to detail
• Resilience and ability to work on high-pressure, high-profile matters

Evidence Signals

• Relevant sports-industry work experience (clubs, governing bodies, sports tech businesses)
• Transactional or regulatory experience relevant to clubs, rights holders or investors
• Study or qualifications in sports law (e.g., BASL/De Montfort sports law diploma or similar)
• Secondment or in-house experience with rights holders, leagues or regulators
• Experience with data, media-rights, sponsorship or sports-finance transactions

Benefits & Wellbeing

Awards & Recognition

• Named a Times Best Law Firm 2026
• Top-tier rankings in major legal market directories for Sport and related practice areas (firm-wide rankings across litigation, corporate and TMT/Media categories)
• Ranked in market legal directories across multiple practice areas including corporate, employment, competition and sports-related fields (ongoing annual rankings)

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

To have a working environment in which all staff and visitors feel respected, equal, included and free to be themselves. To attract as diverse a field of candidates as possible, with a particular focus on ensuring equal opportunities for the Black, Asian and minority ethnic community, when recruiting for positions across the firm. To contribute towards increasing diversity across the legal profession.

• Named partner accountable for diversity and inclusion: Ian Lynam
• Diversity Champions: Jamie Feldman and Hannah Brunskill
• Dedicated internal group to monitor D&I progress and communicate updates to the firm
• Firm-wide training on diversity & equality law and inclusive behaviour and management training
• Support for mentoring of individuals from underrepresented groups (internal and via external partnerships)
• Removal of minimum A‑Level grades from trainee recruitment requirements
• Encouragement and support for the active challenge of unacceptable behaviour

Innovation

The firm runs a targeted sports-tech initiative (TRACK) that integrates transactional advice with support for high-growth and investor-backed sports technology companies. Northridge positions itself to advise both established market leaders and disruptive newcomers in sports tech, working on data and commercial rights matters; the firm’s transactional teams engage with tech clients as part of corporate, financing and commercial mandates.

• Northridge TRACK (support for sports-tech companies and investor-backed tech businesses)
• Dedicated Sports Tech practice and sector-facing work advising technology and data businesses in sport

Quick Application Angles

• Reference the firm’s high-profile sports transactions (e.g., involvement on the Chelsea sale, club investments such as Everton and Aston Villa, the StatsBomb sale) to demonstrate commercial awareness and explain how your skills would add value on similar deals.
• Showcase any sports-sector experience or study (clubs, governing bodies, sports-tech startups or BASL/De Montfort sports law diplomas) — the firm places strong weight on sector knowledge.
• If you have non-academic evidence of merit (sporting experience, commercial internships, client-facing roles), emphasise these—Northridge has removed minimum A‑Level grade requirements and promotes wider access.
• Mention interest in sports tech and innovation (Northridge TRACK) if you have experience with data, analytics or technology-driven commercial deals, as this aligns with the firm's growth focus.
• For dispute-focused roles, cite relevant litigation or regulatory experience (arbitration, CAS, competition matters) and be prepared to discuss practical examples of casework and advocacy.