Sports aren’t solely about what happens on the field, the court, or in the ring. What happens outside those arenas is just as crucial to the integrity of competitors and organizations.
The rapid expansion of the multibillion-dollar sports industry presents significant opportunities, but also corresponding risks and challenges. The sports market is highly popular and lucrative, making it all the more imperative that individual athletes, sports teams, and leagues effectively protect their brand and intellectual property (IP). Our global sports practice includes full-service IP lawyers that provide coordinated, multijurisdictional advice to our clients on a full spectrum of services, from procurement to litigation.
We help protect the brands of our sports clients by registering and enforcing their trademarks and patents worldwide. We also assist with copyright protection of everything from team logos to actual game footage. Our lawyers have handled litigation at every level, and have assisted clients with matters related to counterfeit or illegal products, merchandise, online websites, and broadcasts. We have assisted numerous sports clients with the selection of names for new teams in existing leagues as well as the selection of names for all the teams in new leagues. Confidential clearance of names, logos, colors, mascots, and uniform design is especially important in circumstances where the public is generally very interested in knowing these elements.
We have advised on some of the sports industry’s most significant projects involving many of the sector’s key operators, and provided guidance to the world’s leading sports events and personalities. In particular, we are highly regarded in the Australian sports market. We represent clients in Australia, Europe, and the United States, including the Australian Football League and the majority of its clubs, Cricket Australia, the Australian Grand Prix, FIFA, the National Basketball League, the International Olympic Committee, Manchester City, Formula 1 Racing, WWE, professional athletes, and various local leagues.
Our clients trust us to handle their matters all over the world. We understand the confluence of sports, IP, and entertainment, and approach legal challenges from all angles to provide our clients with innovative solutions. Our global presence and impact, specifically in Australia, Europe, and the United States, allows our sports IP team to assist our clients wherever they operate.
On 30 January 2024, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a final rule (Final Rule) increasing the premium processing fee from US$2,500 to US$2,805, increasing filing fees for I-129 and I-140 employment-based petitions, and imposing a new Asylum Program Fee for each Form I-129 and I-140 filed by employers.
On 3 April 2024, the US Securities and Exchange Commission announced the first settlement with a stand-alone registered investment adviser for, among other things, failures to maintain and preserve certain electronic communications.
On 22 December 2020, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted amendments (the final rule) to Rule 206(4)-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the Advisers Act) to modernize the regulation of investment adviser advertising and solicitation practices.
On 7 March 2024, the Illinois Pollution Control Board proposed amendments to its Ground Water Quality regulations, which would set standards for selected per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances compounds at or near their levels of detection and would result in some of the most stringent standards in the country.
We welcome your email, but please understand that if you are not already a client of K&L Gates LLP, we cannot represent you until we confirm that doing so would not create a conflict of interest and is otherwise consistent with the policies of our firm. Accordingly, please do not include any confidential information until we verify that the firm is in a position to represent you and our engagement is confirmed in a letter. Prior to that time, there is no assurance that information you send us will be maintained as confidential. Thank you for your consideration.
