Andrew Smith

Andrew appears regularly in the ET, EAT and High Court in complex and high value employment claims. He has previously been shortlisted by Legal 500 for employment junior of the year.

The cases in which Andrew is instructed commonly involve claims of discrimination and/or whistleblowing. He has substantial experience of appearing as the sole advocate in lengthy ET hearings. Andrew also has particular expertise in disputes concerning employment status, TUPE, agency workers and holiday pay (amongst others).

Andrew’s High Court practice encompasses a broad range of employment-related litigation, including ‘team move’ cases and disputes concerning restrictive covenants, bonus payments, obligations of confidence and fiduciary duties.

Andrew is regularly instructed to act in sports arbitrations, disciplinary and other proceedings (including before the PFCC), acting for a wide range of clients including players, athletes, managers, officials, clubs, intermediaries / agents and governing bodies.

In addition to his work as an advocate, Andrew has been appointed to sit as a Rule K arbitrator and as a member of an EFL arbitration appeal panel.

Andrew was appointed by a major sports governing body to conduct an independent grievance investigation arising out of a contested selection decision for the Olympic Games, and as an arbitrator to determine a dispute concerning an athlete’s de-selection from a World Class Performance Programme.

In terms of international work, Andrew has been involved in several cases before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, as well as claims in the Basketball Arbitral Tribunal. Andrew’s CAS experience includes being appointed as an ad hoc clerk in the high-profile doping appeals brought by 39 Russian athletes in connection with the Sochi Winter Olympics.

Andrew is a long-established member of the LawInSport editorial board, has written many articles for the website, and acts as a Judge in the annual Sports Law Arbitration Moot competition.

Andrew also co-authored three chapters of ‘Football and the Law’ (Bloomsbury Professional), covering the topics of (i) football institutions, (ii) ownership issues, and (iii) arbitration in football.

Andrew’s civil litigation practice involves him representing and advising clients on a broad range of commercial matters, often with an employment element. His commercial arbitration experience includes complex disputes concerning agency fees/commission payments, joint venture arrangements and start-up businesses. As well as LCIA arbitrations, Andrew has experience of proceedings in the International Court of Arbitration, in which he acted for a foreign government in its defence of a high value commercial claim.

Andrew is an ADR Group Accredited Civil & Commercial Mediator.