How can JMW help you?
JMW provides a one stop shop for all legal advice to help you through every aspect of your life. We will work closely with you and your advisers to fully understand your circumstances and help you deal with changing events in your career and life.
Contracts
It is of paramount importance that you have your contract drafted or reviewed by one of our expert solicitors before signing it. Sports contracts are by their nature specialist contracts and often contain unusual provisions e.g. if you are a footballer how will club promotion or relegation impact upon your pay or bonus?
Image Rights
If your image appears on an advert do you get paid? Sadly this is an area that is all too often missed in sports/media contracts. Unless you have the right protections in your contract you may miss out. Given the value of image rights to the sports professional in the modern era this is something which cannot and should not be overlooked. Similarly can you protect yourself against those who would seek to trade off your image and/or reputation? JMW can ensure that you are not left naked in this regard.
Intellectual Property – Boot deals, Sponsorship, etc
Our advisors have substantial experience of advising on all types of commercial contracts including boot deals and sponsorship agreements. Our advisors also regularly advise on licensing agreements and disputes relating to trade marks, patents and copyright and on disputes relating to breach of confidence. JMW can ensure that you maximise your intellectual property rights and prevent others exploiting your rights without your agreement.
Buying and selling your home
We provide a tailored service designed to meet your conveyancing and property needs nationwide. Our wealth and depth of experience enables us to deal with what is likely to be the most important financial transaction of your life.
We offer face to face contact or if you are too busy or prefer not to travel to see us we will enable you to sign documents at your leisure by posting or by use of e-mail.
Paternity and Children issues
Sports Professionals are often the subject of paternity claims. We regularly advise on paternity issues and DNA testing. If paternity is established we provide comprehensive advice on child support and contact issues.
Co-habitation and Pre-marital agreements
Many sports professionals take legal advice on sporting contracts – it is just as important when entering into a new relationship to consider entering into a Co-habitation or Pre-marital agreement. It may not seem romantic to do so but early legal advice can reduce or avoid family litigation. If a relationship does break down we can provide specialist cohabitation or divorce advice to try and make sure that the process does not impact upon your game.
Wills and tax planning
There has never been a time when Wills and Inheritance Tax Planning has been so important to so many people. With the increase in house prices, many people have found themselves going above the inheritance tax threshold and paying inheritance tax at 40%.
With the correct legal and financial advice we can help you to plan for the future and make sure that what you have worked so hard to build up over the years can be passed to your children and grandchildren as tax efficiently as possible.
Buying property abroad
If you are considering buying a property abroad you should ensure you receive tax advice on the most efficient way of buying it before you enter into any contract.
Many people do not realise their foreign property purchase is governed by the laws and taxes of the country in which they buy e.g. in France when you die you cannot leave your property to whoever you want.
Buying and selling Investment Property
Again we offer a tailormade service to assist you in buying and selling residential and commercial properties for your family, your business or buy to let investment.
Protecting life insurance and pension lump sum death benefits from inheritance tax
If lump sum death benefits are payable under your pension or a life policy these will liable to 40% inheritance tax e.g. a pension/policy pays out £1,000,000 on your death, inheritance tax of £400,000 will then be due. If we write your pension/life policy lump sum death benefits under trust your wife/husband, children and grandchildren may benefit from the money but no inheritance tax will be payable on your death.
Dealing with motoring offences
JMW have been dealing with motoring cases since the firm’s birth in 1977. The firm has a long pedigree of well established senior motoring lawyers who are able to deal with a variety of road traffic offences. Our lawyers attend personally upon you and proactively manage your cases. In addition the firm has a list of highly qualified experts that can be relied upon when needed.
Defamation and Slander
Here at JMW we value our good name and we know that you value yours. When others publish comments that potentially harm your good name, we have the experience and expertise to take the necessary steps to avoid further damage and repair any harm done.
We also provide advice and assistance on the law of privacy and the protection that the law gives to private information that can be published about you.
We can help you with Slander – false and damaging spoken words and Libel – untrue and damaging wording in publications such as newspapers and magazines and your right to privacy.
Corporate Advice
At some time you may have the opportunity to go into business with family or friends or be asked to invest in a business. We offer a full range of corporate services through our offices in Manchester and Altrincham. Our lawyers have experience and knowledge in a wide range of sectors, offering practical and value added advice within agreed timescales and more importantly within budget.
Working hand in glove with you, our experience extends far beyond drafting complex legal documents and advising on law and procedure. We aim to add real value and make an active contribution to your business development.
Charities
You may want to give something back to the local community, we can help you achieve this through our contacts with existing charities or help you to set up your own charity.
Independent Financial Advice
We can introduce you to a Specialist Independent Financial Adviser who provides advice to Sports Personalities and Entertainers. They have particular experience in understanding and delivering footballers specific requirements and are an Agent for The Football League Ltd Players' Retirement Income Scheme and The Professional Footballers' Pension Scheme since 1991.
They combine advice on The Professional Footballers' Pension Scheme and Self Invested Personal Pension Schemes (SIPPs) to provide the complete retirement package, whilst you are playing and crucially at retirement.
Sports Professionals have a short working life and it is essential that you receive independent, professional advice to turn savings now into "income" in the future to provide for you and your family.
For further information on all our Sports Law services please contact Fiona Dillon by telephone on 0845 402 0001 or email fiona.dillon@jmw.co.uk
