Profile
Lewis Calder advises clients on key commercial agreements that underpin their businesses, with a particular focus on the media, sports, and entertainment sectors. His practice focuses primarily on contractual matters covering media rights, sponsorship, merchandising, licensing, event management, and player/talent management. Calder also has deep experience advising on the drafting and interpretation of rules and on wider regulatory matters, in particular involving media regulation in the Middle East, financial regulation in sport, and best practices in sports governance. Prior to his career in law, Lewis was a professional athlete and represented Scotland on the international stage – as a result, he understands the needs of professional sportspeople and the challenges they face when seeking to prolong careers and maximize commercial opportunities.
Capabilities
Experience
- Advising on a USD $500 billion giga project in Saudi Arabia on Media, Sport and Entertainment matters.°
- Advised an international sporting governing body on a range of commercial and regulatory issues, including the drafting and implementation of landmark financial and sporting regulations.°
- Represented a football governing body on the sale of its media rights, and also on a corporate governance review by reference to sports best practice.°
- Represented several Premier League clubs on high value club sponsorship and kit supplier deals.°
- Advised a global broadcaster on the establishment of its service in the UAE, including corporate structuring and licensing aspects.°
- Acted on the USD $1 billion rights deal for the establishment and operation of a new professional sports competition in North America.°
- Advised a number of high-profile athletes and talent on a range of contractual matters, including IPL cricketers, Olympian athletes, actors and social media influencers.°
- Acted in relation to a USD $8 billion giga-project on sponsorship strategy and drafting a suite of strategic sponsorship and naming rights agreements.°
- Advised a major global agency on the sale of international media rights across various media and sports properties, and in relation to its mass participation events business.°
- Advised a global horse racing operator on the licensing of content and data internationally.°
°The above representations were handled by Mr. Calder prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig Limited.
- IMG, 2018-2019 (virtual secondment)
- The Football Association, 2019-2020 (virtual secondment)
- Professional Rugby Player, 2010-2015
Recognition & Leadership
- Listed, Chambers Global, TMT: Media, Entertainment & Sport, United Arab Emirates, "Spotlight," 2024
Credentials
- LPC, BPP University London
- LL.B., University of Durham
- England and Wales
- Dubai Legal Consultant