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Nick_Fitzpatrick

Nick Fitzpatrick

Partner
Lauded by commentators as ‘the undisputed king of broadcasting’ in the world of sport.
Chambers UK 2022
About

Nick Fitzpatrick has over 30 years’ experience of advising clients in the media, sport and entertainment sectors. He works with a full range of companies, from US studios and international broadcasters to major sports rights holders.

His significant experience across a number of sectors makes him an exceptional strategist and a valued partner in helping clients achieve their business objectives.

Nick focuses on a broad range of matters including negotiating and structuring complex arrangements for the hosting of major sporting and other events, the exploitation of media rights across all platforms, sponsorship, brand exploitation, event organisation, sports administration, copyright, gambling, and advertising.

Nick is proud to have represented many of the world’s major media, sport and entertainment brands including the Premier League, for whom he has acted for decades (and through whom he was able to meet his childhood hero Brian Clough).

Other examples of his work include helping Discovery Communications with their distribution arrangements in Europe and advising on aspects of the hosting of the London, Rio and Tokyo Olympics, the Glasgow and Birmingham Commonwealth Games, and the Baku European Games.

Prior to joining DLA Piper in 2005, Nick was a partner at a London-based international law firm. He also worked on secondment for the Motion Picture Association of America and Warner Bros.

Having failed in his initial ambition to become a professional rock drummer, Nick has spent a career developing deep insights into the media, sport and entertainment industries. He is a frequent speaker at sector conferences and other events and enjoys the diversity of clients and challenges in the industries he focuses on, commenting, “I would never have wanted to be any other sort of lawyer”.

He is delighted to have been recognised in The Lawyer's Hot 100 list 2022.

Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales

Highlights

EXPERIENCE

Nick's experience includes advising:

  • On aspects of the hosting of the London, Rio and Tokyo Olympics, the Glasgow and Birmingham Commonwealth Games, and the Baku European Games
  • Discovery Communications on distribution arrangements in Europe
  • Premier League and English Football League on their commercial programmes
  • Formula 1, Formula E, McLaren F1 and various other motor sports promoters and broadcasters on most aspects of the commercial exploitation and staging of motor sports
  • NBA on a wide variety of commercial regulatory and hosting issues with regard to its operations outside the US
  • LEGO on all of its international distribution arrangements to broadcasters and other digital platforms for various LEGO television properties including LEGO Ninjago, LEGO Friends, LEGO Nexo Knights, LEGO Star Wars, LEGO – Marvel Collection and LEGO Jurassic World
  • Football DataCo Limited and the European Leagues on the global sale of sports data rights
Education
  • Jesus College, Oxford University (Exhibitioner), BA (Hons) Jurisprudence

Awards and recognitions

  • The Lawyer's Hot 100 list 2022
  • Band 1 lawyer, Sport, UK-wide, Chambers UK 2014-22
  • Hall of Fame, Sport, London, The Legal 500 UK 2020-22

Pro Bono

  • Advising on a wide variety of projects for UNICEF

Publications and media

Memberships And Affiliations

  • The Law Society

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