Durham Alumnus Simon Thorp Presents the Institute for Commercial and Corporate Law’s 2026 Annual Lecture
Durham’s Institute for Commercial and Corporate Law (ICCL) annual lecture, held on May 7, was given by Durham alumnus Simon Thorp.
Simon’s lecture, “Topical Issues in Sports Law” addressed recent developments in UK, EU and International Sports Law, including:
- The Contamination Defence in Sports Doping;
- Competition Issues surrounding open and closed sports leagues; and,
- The new Football governance regime.
Simon is the founding partner of Onside Law, a leading international sports law firm. His practice predominantly involves general corporate and commercial matters including share purchase, asset transfer, investment, shareholder and joint venture agreements, along with specialist due diligence, investment and structuring in sport. Simon has particular experience in the ownership and governance of governing bodies, football, rugby and private member clubs, investment in sport and media properties, sale of sport’s businesses, funding and establishment of new sport’s leagues, the business interests of sporting talent and esports.
The ICCL’s annual lecture is the Institute’s highlight. It is presented by senior members of the judiciary, academics and prominent practitioners.
This event underscored the ICCL’s and Durham’s Law School’s commitment to advance partnerships among practitioners, academics and students in the Law School’s core missions of teaching, research and professional relevance.
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More on the ICCL can be found here.