Member Article

Newcastle law firm Muckle partners with England Athletics

England Athletics is proud to announce the launch of a legal services hotline which will be operated by the leading North East law firm, Muckle LLP.

Muckle LLP will provide a free legal helpline for all Affiliated Clubs & Bodies during 2015. The initiative is funded by England Athletics in order to provide greater value to Affiliated Clubs & Organisations.

Chief Executive of England Athletics Chris Jones said, “At England Athletics we are always aware of the challenges that the volunteers running our clubs face. We are delighted to add this new form of support to our clubs.

“While we do not envisage this will be something most clubs have to regularly access, having the peace of mind of knowing it is available when needed is something we envisage our Clubs, and in particular, volunteers, will welcome.

“We know that Muckle LLP provide strong service to a number of sports clubs already. Their legal team can provide you with practical advice around areas including employment, data protection, health & safety, contract law, organisational structure and facilities related topics such as planning.”

Muckle LLP has been selected to provide Affiliated Clubs & Bodies with legal advice due to their expertise on a broad range of issues relevant for sports clubs like yours. As a nationally renowned legal firm, the Muckle LLP legal helpline will connect you to experienced lawyers who can help answer any legal queries and issues that relate to your Club.

Affiliated Clubs & Bodies will need to provide their Affiliation number accreditation as proof of identification at the start of each call and advice will only be given to people authorised to seek advice on behalf of their clubs or affiliated organisation. (The arrangement does not extend to legal advice on personal matters for individuals within clubs or organisations).

They will have a maximum call length of 30 minutes for each legal enquiry.

If the legal issue is of a particularly complex nature and cannot be resolved within a 30 minute phone call, further legal advice may be required. The potential costs associated with this would be advised before any costs are incurred by the Club, and Affiliated Clubs & Bodies will, of course, still be free to select a different legal provider for any ongoing matters at their own discretion.

Phone lines will open 8.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday, excluding Bank Holidays. All calls received outside these hours will receive a response within 24 hours of the office re-opening. Email requests for advice will also be responded to within these timescales.

John Devine, who leads the sports team at Muckle LLP, states, “In our experience, the majority of legal queries from sports clubs can be resolved quickly and effectively within 30 minutes. Our experienced lawyers will be readily available to respond to queries and address any concerns. We are delighted to work with England Athletics in providing this legal helpline service to Affiliated Clubs.”

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