Solicitor David Keenan, whose clients include Manchester City and England footballer Phil Foden and boxer Tommy Fury is joining Liverpool law firm Bermans. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool law firm Bermans has hired a new solicitor for the sports and entertainment team.

David Keenan, was called a ‘rising star’ within sports law in the Legal 500 in 2021, joins Bermans from Nottingham-based practice Freeths. He qualified as a solicitor in 2012 while working at Hill Dickinson in Liverpool.

He regularly advises on both contentious and non-contentious issues with experience in a variety of sports including football, boxing and horseracing. His experience includes regularly advising sports participants (including players, athletes, managers, agents, owners and trainers) on contractual issues

Mr Keenan has also instructed on disciplinary and anti-doping matters as well as disputes, including FA Rule K Arbitrations, Premier League Rule X Arbitrations, disputes before FIFA’s Dispute Resolution Chamber and Player’s Status Committee, high profile sporting disputes before civil courts and high level sports personal injury cases.

His clients include high-profile sports stars, including Manchester City and England footballer Phil Foden and boxer Tommy Fury. He is as a member of the Dispute, Disciplinary and Appeal Panel for British Canoeing and a Disciplinary Panel Member for Lancashire FA.

“I am delighted to have joined Bermans and I am looking forward to working with Gareth Farrelly and all of the other talented lawyers at the firm. It is a fantastic opportunity for Gareth and I to work together and build on the excellent service that the firm already provides within sport.”

Bermans senior partner, Fergal O’Cleirigh, said: “David is a great addition to our existing offering in  sports law. He has a wide range of skills and we believe he and Gareth are perfectly placed to further develop what is already a successful and important department for the business.”