New Legal Helpline Set Up

At Supporters Direct we want our member Supporters Trusts and Community-Owned Clubs to have access to the very best legal advice to solve any of those problems that inevitably crop up from time to time. Sometimes that support can go far beyond what SD staff or SD best practice/guidance can provide, which is why we have sought out a partnership with a leading legal practice that specialise in sport.

Legal helpline
We are pleased to announce an exciting new partnership with Gateley Plc to offer all of our members’ access to a free legal helpline.  Member Supporters Trusts and Community-Owned Clubs will have access to thirty minutes of free legal advice on each issue from an array of legal experts.

If the query is more detailed and goes beyond the initial free thirty minutes, thenGateley Plc will notify you and offer the opportunity to take the query forward at a reduced rate for members of Supporters Direct.

Areas covered
The helpline will be able to advise you on the most common issues affecting trusts and clubs including:

• Company law issues affecting the club which impact on the Supporters Trust
• The legal relationship between the Supporters Trust and the club
• Employment law issues affecting Supporters Trusts and Community-Owned Clubs
• Property issues affecting Supporters Trusts and Community-Owned Clubs
  Commercial contract or intellectual property issues
• Disputes affecting Supporters Trusts or Community-Owned Clubs
• Queries regarding your existing trusts rules, or with trust procedures like Board meetings, election, procedure etc. should still be directed to Supporters Direct in the first instance.

Using the Helpline 
The legal helpline service is only available to full members of Supporters Direct.

To use the service fill in the contact form on the SD website.

You will then be passed to the person best suited to handle your query.  It is the responsibility of each Supporters Trust or Community-Owned Club to ensure that the facility is used by the appropriate member of the organisations board.

About Gateley Plc
Gateley Plc’s wide range of experience within the sports industry means they are one of very few firms able to offer the full range of services required by organisations and individuals within the sports sector, in the UK or internationally.

Gateley Plc’s work spans everything from property and stadia matters (including construction and planning), sponsorship agreements and athlete agreements to brand licensing, brand protection and exploitation, commercial contracts (including kit manufacturing and supply agreements, retail agreements and marketing agreements), governance issues, safeguarding policies, data protection, competition issues and employment issues.

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