Magic circle Linklaters scores FIFA’s top lawyers in US raid
Magic circle law firm Linklaters has snagged two of FIFA’s lawyers from a rival firm as part of its push into the US legal market.
Partner Christopher Boehning has joined as Chair of its global sports practice and US strategic disputes, while Daniel Levi will serve in the firm’s litigation, arbitration and investigations practice, both in the New York office.
The senior lawyers, who joined from Paul Weiss, have been the go-to US legal heavyweights for FIFA over the last several years, frequently teaming up on the governing body’s most high-profile and sensitive disputes.
Aedamar Comiskey, Linklaters’ senior partner and Chair, said: “We are very focused on having top talent in all our markets. The recruitment of Chris [Boehning] and Dan [Levi] is a further significant step in delivering that strategy. They are top-of-the-market partners and terrific additions to our global team.”
The magic circle firm, like many of its English Big Law competitors, has its eyes on expansion into the US market.
Linklaters has tried for several years to get its foot into the world’s largest legal market, but has recently ramped up its focus by expanding headcount. So far, the firm has 55 partners, up 77 per cent since 2022.
On Monday, its competitor, Freshfields, was revealed to have forced out senior partners to boost growth and fund its own US expansion.
Lots of opportunity in sports law
Top legal firms have increasingly been drawn to the sports sector due to a surge in private equity investments, complex regulatory frameworks, and lucrative high-profile litigation, transforming sports law from a niche speciality into a major corporate practice area.
Linklaters’ sports sector clients include the English Premier League, Real Madrid, the National Football League Players Association, DAZN, and Tennis Australia.
This move comes as on Monday, US giant Paul Hastings announced it has launched a new global sports practice, nabbing former Baltimore Ravens general counsel Brandon Etheridge and former Slaughter and May figure Mark Zerdin, who advised TWG Motorsports on their Cadillac F1 team entry.