MSLA’s Off the Field Series presents members of our committee discussing career pathways and issues in sports law with some of the field’s leading experts. MSLA would like to sincerely thank our guests for their valuable contributions.
Season 2
Episode 1: Craig Staples
In the first episode of Season 2 of ‘Off the Field’, MSLA President Grace Bailey and Communications Officer Alexandra Tayler sit down with Craig Staples to discuss Craig’s career as a highly successful jockey and role as director of the Australian Jockeys Association.
Craig provides a fascinating insight into the industry, particularly surrounding common legal issues that jockeys encounter such as managing risk of serious injury, concussion, integrity matters and his instrumental role in improving Worker's Compensation for jockeys.
Episode 2: Paul Horvath
In the second episode of ‘Off the Field’, MSLA Committee Members Richard Wotherspoon and Shalaaka Brahmavar are lucky to be joined by Paul Horvath to discuss his career in employment and sports law. As the Principal at SportsLawyer, Paul discusses his experiences starting in the employment law sector and transitioning into sports law.
We speak to Paul about his role working on doping scandals, and touch on his involvement with the Essendon Football Club during their drug saga. From there, Paul also discusses what the future of the AFL will look like as they continue to tackle new problems in today’s game such as head injuries and concussion. Paul also shares some pearls of wisdom for lawyers wanting to enter into the sports law industry.
Episode 3: Sebastian Campbell
In the third episode of ‘Off the Field’, MSLA Vice President James Accadia and Treasurer James Whitfort are delighted to speak with Sebastian Campbell to discuss his distinguished legal career, experience as Integrity Partner at Cricket Australia, and recent transition into the role of a Barrister.
Sebastian’s career exemplifies the diverse legal expertise that can be cultivated across multiple areas of practice. He has built a formidable portfolio, working in Public Prosecution, Commercial Disputes, Banking and Finance, Environmental and Planning, as well as Technology, Media, and Telecommunications
Episode 4: Stephen Meade
In the fourth episode of ‘Off the Field’, MSLA Committee Members Connor Evans and Richard Wotherspoon sit down with the AFL’s General Counsel Stephen Meade. Stephen opens up about his career journey, from studying law at the University of Melbourne to private practice at Middletons and K&L Gates, and finally to the AFL.
He also speaks about the transition from private practice to in-house roles, and how sports law overlaps with several different areas of law. We discuss several contemporary issues facing the industry including integrity and concussion. Stephen also shares some valuable insights and advice for young sports lawyers.
Season 1
Episode 1: Andrew Twaits
In the first episode of ‘Off the Field’, MSLA president Benji Batten sits down with Andrew Twaits to learn about Andrew’s career journey from ‘accidental lawyer’ to ‘sports lawyer’ which has included at Cricket Australia, Betfair, Racing Victoria, and his current role as Independent Chair at the AFL Players Association.
With a wide variety of sports law experiences to draw from, Andrew provides a fascinating insight into the evolution of the Australian sports law landscape over the past 20 years, and shares his advice for students who are interested in combining their sporting and legal passions.
Episode 2: Adrian Anderson
In the second episode of 'Off the Field', MSLA member Ben Stirling sits down with barrister Adrian Anderson. For this interview, Adrian generously took the time to chart his career from a budding young Hawthorn fan, to student at Melbourne Law School, to clerk and then partner at Corrs, to head of football operations at the AFL, and now as a practising barrister representing clients across a range of areas of law.
Adrian also provides valuable insight in charting his career path, by discussing the value of relationships and new experiences throughout his journey alongside his approach of doing what he enjoys to get the most out of himself.
Episode 3: Nikki Dryden
In this episode, MSLA member Luke Karapetsas speaks with former Olympic swimmer Nikki Dryden. Nikki completed her law degree after retiring from competitive swimming and currently works as a human rights lawyer. She continues to be involved with sports as an academic writing regularly about the connection between sports and human rights.
Nikki offers knowledge and perspective over a range of topics, such as athlete rights and the role of sport in promoting human rights, and events, like the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the upcoming Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Episode 4: Kate McGurk
MSLA’s Luke Karapetsas speaks with current senior associate at Lander & Rogers, Kate McGurk. Kate has been involved in numerous sports law cases throughout her career, dealing with athletes, clubs and sporting organisations.
Kate shares her knowledge and experience around becoming involved in sports law practice and the types of matters a sports lawyer can expect to deal with, offering valuable insights and advice for budding sports lawyers.
