“Being named The Lawyer Magazine’s In-House Lawyer of the Year was a proud career moment, given that it is recognition from your profession.”

Rhodri Lewis

Partner

Cardiff

EXPERTISE

Rhodri has twenty years’ experience of working in sport, having worked at UEFA, The Football Association and the Welsh Rugby Union Group. Rhodri has significant experience of sponsorship and other commercial contracts, event hosting arrangements, intellectual property, marketing and branding, governance and company secretarial and athlete matters.

Rhodri’s experience includes negotiating and drafting sponsorship contracts for UEFA EURO 2008, UEFA EURO 2012, the UEFA Champions League, The FA Cup, England international football teams and Wales international rugby teams; the naming rights arrangements for Principality Stadium in Cardiff; hosting arrangements for the London 2012 Olympics, Rugby World Cup 2015, UEFA Champions League Final 2017, UEFA EURO 2028 and various music and other events; and managing an international intellectual property portfolio.

Rhodri was named The Lawyer Magazine’s In-House Lawyer of the Year in 2015 and is a first-language Welsh speaker.

TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR CAREER TO DATE / IN LAW?

I trained at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, before qualifying into the London office’s Corporate Department. Whilst a Trainee, I spent six months on secondment to the Hong Kong and Bangkok offices. I was part of the team that worked on the London 2012 Olympics bid and I realised that I was interested in combining law and sport as a career.

I moved to Switzerland in 2005 to join the Commercial Legal Team at UEFA, where I worked on a variety of rights related to various properties including UEFA EUROs, Champions League, UEFA Europa League and age-grade tournaments. Whilst at UEFA, I also worked at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany as part of the rights protection programme.

After UEFA, I was the Senior Solicitor at The Football Association, based at Wembley Stadium. My work covered rights for international football teams, The FA Cup and events at Wembley Stadium.

In 2010, I was appointed as the Welsh Rugby Union Group’s Head of Legal Affairs and a member of the Executive Board. I was appointed as General Counsel and Company Secretary in 2018, before being appointed as Commercial and Legal Director in 2021. During my time at the Welsh Rugby Union, I grew the Legal Team and oversaw the expansion of the commercial partnership programme, delivering a significant increase in revenues and new major partnerships with the likes of Vodafone and Go.Compare.

WHAT DREW YOU TOWARDS SPORTS LAW?

The ability to combine my interest and passion for sport, with my work.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS?

There are many career highlights, as I have been fortunate to have worked on some exciting properties and been part of the teams that delivered major sporting and other events.

Being named The Lawyer Magazine’s In-House Lawyer of the Year was a proud career moment, given that it is recognition from your profession. None of my professional achievements are as important to me as my family or, some would say, the achievements of the local mini and junior teams football and rugby teams that I coach!

AND WHEN YOU ARE NOT WORKING?

I have coached mini and junior teams in both football and rugby for a number of years, so spend a lot of time at the side of pitches! I am a Trustee of The Geraint Thomas Cycling Trust, a School Governor, a member of the Urdd’s Sports and Apprenticeship Board and an Ambassador for Aspiring Solicitors.