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Guide to the Global Leaders in Sports Law Practice
REGIONS WE COVER
Middle East and North Africa
North America
Asia-Pacific
Western Europe
Central and Eastern Europe
GLOBAL
RECOGNITION
RANKINGS
CONTENT
AWARDS
Sports Law
Sports law is a core pillar of the firm's practice. The team advises and represents clubs, associations, athletes, event organisers, sponsors and media companies across the full spectrum of sports-related legal issues. Key areas of expertise include:
- Association and governance law — advising federations and clubs on constitutional matters, internal proceedings, disciplinary processes and regulatory compliance.
- Transfers and player contracts — structuring and negotiating transfer agreements, loan arrangements and employment contracts, with particular expertise in international transfer regulations.
- Sponsorship and commercial rights — drafting and negotiating sponsorship, endorsement and commercial partnership agreements.
- Media and broadcasting rights — advising on the licensing, distribution and exploitation of media rights.
- Sports-related arbitration — representing clients before, and acting as arbitrators in national and international arbitral bodies.
The sports law practice is significantly shaped by Philipp Frenzl, a former professional footballer with several Austrian clubs and a national team player. With over ten years of experience, he advises
and represents numerous active and former athletes who particularly value his unique combination of practical sports knowledge and legal expertise. His ability to navigate complex insurance litigation and to provide strategic direction in high-stakes matters makes him a highly respected attorney — well beyond sports law.
Clemens Völkl further strengthens the firm’s sports law credentials as a member of the permanent neutral arbitral tribunal of the Austrian Football League, regularly appointed as arbitrator in disputes between the League and its affiliated first- and second-league clubs. He also acts as general counsel for the League, negotiating commercial and sponsoring contracts and representing it
vis-à-vis public bodies and ministries.
Over the past 12 months, the team has successfully completed major mandates for prominent
clients across these areas, reinforcing its reputation as one of Austria's go-to practices for complex sports law matters.
Intersection of Sports Law and Insurance/ Liability Law
Sports law, insurance law and liability law are closely interconnected — a combination that the firm leverages to deliver comprehensive, practical advice. In both professional and amateur sports, liability questions arise constantly: athlete injuries, spectator accidents, organiser liability and third-party damage claims. These scenarios invariably raise insurance-related issues — whether concerning liability insurance, accident cover, D&O policies for club directors or event-specific policies.
Disputes over coverage obligations, recourse claims and policy interpretation are a regular feature of the sports sector. The firm's deep expertise in insurance and liability law — including D&O and auditor liability, environmental liability, financial-loss cover and product liability insurance — enables it to handle these overlapping issues seamlessly. The team is regularly involved in significant national and international proceedings and is highly regarded for its strategic and technically precise approach.
International Reach
The firm's international capabilities were further strengthened in 2024 through its admission to Global Insurance Law Connect, a worldwide network of leading insurance law specialists. This enables seamless cross-border support for clients with multinational exposure — increasingly important given the inherently international nature of transfers, sponsorship deals and event organisation.
In addition, Völkl Rechtsanwälte is a long-standing member of IR Global, one of the world's largest networks of independent professional services firms, providing access to trusted legal expertise in over 155 jurisdictions. Völkl Rechtsanwälte is recognised by competitors and peers alike for its depth of expertise, market impact and ability to combine specialist knowledge with robust litigation strategy.
Contact
Völkl Rechtsanwälte GmbH
Neutorgasse 12/9, 1010 Vienna
T: +43 1 934 60 68
E: office@voelkl.partners
W: www.voelkl-partners.at
Key Lawyers
Philipp Frenzl
Neutorgasse 12/9, 1010 Vienna
T: +43 1 934 60 68
E: p.frenzl@voelkl.partners
W: www.voelkl-partners.at/mag-philipp-frenzl/
Clemens Völkl
Neutorgasse 12/9, 1010 Vienna
T: +43 1 934 60 68
E: c.voelkl@voelkl.partners
W: www.voelkl-partners.at/dr-clemens-voelkl/
Völkl Rechtsanwälte is a renowned specialist law firm based in Vienna, recognised for its high-impact litigation and dispute resolution practices. The firm holds a leading position in financial litigation, directors' and officers' liability, coverage disputes, professional negligence and insolvency contestation. In recent years the firm has expanded significantly its expertise in insolvency-related litigation, D&O liability cases and ESG-related matters — underscoring the firm's commitment to sustainable and responsible legal practice.
What sets the firm apart is its integrated model: all lawyers practise across both dispute resolution and substantive advisory work. This ensures deep familiarity with the underlying subject matter in every dispute, delivering practical insight and case preparation that clients and courts consistently acknowledge as a key differentiator in the Austrian market.
