Sports Law Essay Competition 2023

About Chambers and the Competition

Littleton Chambers is described by legal directories and clients as “the top set” and having a “strong pedigree when it comes to sports law disputes”.[1] Its sports law barristers act in matters across the sporting arena, including club management and investment, governance and inquiries, participant misconduct, player and manager moves, safeguarding, equality and inclusion, and anti-doping.

The development of sports law and regulation does not take place in a silo. Littleton barristers often contribute to the legal discourse in sport by interacting with sports personalities and organisations written work and at speaking events. The Sports Law Essay Competition provides budding lawyers with a unique opportunity to broadcast their ideas to the wider sporting community and, thereby, improve regulation and governance in sport.

This year’s competition title centres on the friction between the sensitive nature of regulatory disputes and the need for openness in sport governance. The essay title, rules (including how to submit and marking criteria), and prizes are set out below. Competition entrants should note that arguments, themes and ideas which evidence original thought are highly prized, although it is unlikely that a wholly original theory can be developed within the short word-limit of the essay.

The deadline for submission is 9 am on Monday 27^th February 2023.

The Essay Title

Transparency has been prized as foundational to good governance in sport (see, for instance, the International Olympic Committee’s Basic Universal Principles of Good Governance, principle 2). To what extent (if at all) are sport regulators justified in using confidential procedures, such as arbitration, to deal with participant misconduct?

Rules

Eligibility

1. The competition is open to all students registered at a UK university (including those reading for the LPC, SQE or the Bar), all students registered on the ICCA’s Bar Vocational Training Course, trainee solicitors, and pupil barristers.
2. Pupil barristers and employees of Littleton Chambers are excluded from the competition.

The Essay

3. Essays must be between 1,500 and 2,500 words including references.
4. The contents of the essay should be typed in a legible font, at font size 12, with 1.5 or double-lined spacing.
5. No particular style manual (eg OSCOLA) is prescribed, but style, format and references should be clear and used consistently throughout the essay so as not to detract from the content.
6. The essay must be the sole creation and work of the competition entrant and must not have been submitted to any other body, person or organisation for publishing or examination.
7. The essay must not contain the author’s name, university, law firm or chambers. These details should be included in the body of the email to which the essay is attached (see below).

Submission

10. The deadline for submission and entry into the competition is 9 am on Monday 27^th February 2023.
11. All essays must be submitted via email as a .doc, .docx, or .pdf file attachment. Submissions must be emailed to essaysubmission@littletonchambers.co.uk. The body of the email should contain the entrant’s,
    1. Full name;
    2. Educational institution, firm or chambers; and
    3. Contact telephone number.
12. Essays which do not meet the above requirements or are not submitted in the above manner shall not be considered and shall be removed from the competition.

Marking

14. Each essay shall be read and marked by two barristers from Littleton’s Sports Law Group.
15. The marks will be award out of total of 50 and will be assigned in accordance with the following criteria:
    1. Up to 15 marks for original thought and ideas ie to what extent does the essay touch upon or introduce new ideas, themes or arguments?
    2. Up to 15 marks for relevance ie how well does the essay address the topic/title and issues in question?
    3. Up to 10 marks for structure ie how persuasive and intelligible is the essay’s structure?
    4. Up to 10 marks for phrasing and grammar ie to what extent do words and phrases used enhance or detract from the arguments, themes and ideas in the essay?
16. The essays with the top five highest average marks shall be considered by a panel of five barristers from Littleton’s Sports Law Group. The panel of five shall use the above marking criteria as a guide to selecting three winners from those five essays to receive the prizes.
17. In the event of a tie at any stage, a barrister from Littleton’s Sports Law Group will be appointed to break the tie by selecting an essay/essays as they see fit.

Use

16. By submitting the essay, the entrant authorises Littleton Chambers (its members and staff) to use and publish the essay if and as it/they see/s fit.
17. Further, the entrant authorises Littleton Chambers (its members and staff) to edit or modify the essay as it/they see/s fit prior use or publishing.

Prizes and Winners

19. Prizes will be awarded to the entrants who authored the top three essays as follows:
    1. Each wining entrant will receive an Inspire Sports Law mini-pupillage at Littleton Chambers;
    2. The first place prize is £1000;
    3. The second place prize is £500; and
    4. The third place prize is £250.
20. Winners will be contacted by email in the first instance and will be announced on Chambers’ website and social media channels.
21. Whilst Littleton Chambers is grateful to all who participate in the competition, feedback will not be provided to those entrants who did not win.

[1] Taken from 2023 Chambers and Partners entry at https://chambers.com/department/littleton-chambers-sport-uk-bar-14:648:11841:2:10374.