Gowling WLG announced as first sponsors and Official Legal Advisers to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

Gowling WLG has been appointed as exclusive Official Legal Advisers to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. The firm is the first official sponsor to be confirmed for the major multi-sport event, which will be held in the West Midlands from 27 July until the 7 August 2022.

As an official supporter of Birmingham 2022, lawyers and staff from across Gowling WLG’s 18 offices will spend the next three years supporting the Games and the unique opportunities that this global sporting and cultural occasion provides to athletes, communities and businesses across the world.

The firm’s Diversity and Inclusion team, which is one of the founders of the ‘Suited for Success’ initiative in Birmingham, will lead on an important part of the sponsorship agreement. They will be building on the work they do with charities, schools and organisations across the city and the wider West Midlands region, to use the Games to inspire and engage the different communities that they support.

The appointment as Official Legal Advisers followed a rigorous tender process, and the firm will be advising on a range of services, including corporate governance, procurement and general commercial matters, brand protection, disputes and risk management.

The firm’s multi-disciplinary legal team is led out of its Two Snowhill office in Birmingham and fronted by partner and board member Michael Luckman. They will be working alongside Birmingham 2022’s Chief Legal Officer, Caroline McGrory, and her team, over the next three years, to help deliver a successful Games.

David Fennell, Chief Executive at Gowling WLG, said: “We have deep roots in Birmingham and as a global firm our reach also now extends to Hamilton, Canada, where the very first Commonwealth Games event was held. We’re committed to playing our part in making Birmingham 2022 a huge success for Birmingham, the UK and internationally, making the most of every opportunity for our clients, communities and people to get involved in this standout sporting and cultural event.

“We’re already underway in supporting Caroline and the Birmingham 2022 team with the legal aspects, as well as looking to add value wherever we can to deliver an inclusive and socially responsible Games.”

Ian Reid, Chief Executive Officer for Birmingham 2022, said: “I’m delighted to announce Gowling WLG as our first official sponsor for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. This is a very exciting time as we’ve just passed our three years to go milestone and our profile and workload is really starting to increase.

“We are completely confident in Gowling WLG’s ability to provide us with the professional legal support we require and we are already working very closely with them, as we continue our preparations for delivering the biggest event that the West Midlands has ever staged.”