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John Shea

Principal Associate

What can I do for you

John is a principal associate in our sport, entertainment and media team. His practice focuses primarily on sports-related dispute resolution, but also spans regulatory compliance, disciplinary matters, domestic and international football transfers, and the appointment of managers and coaching staff.

Supporting your ambitions

John has advised Premier League and EFL clubs, players, agents, and investors on a wide range of matters, including:

  • Advising on high-profile football transfers such as Benjamin Šeško to Manchester United, Alejandro Garnacho to Chelsea, and Raphaël Varane to Manchester United. 
  • Acting in relation to managerial and coaching appointments, including Ange Postecoglou’s appointment at Tottenham Hotspur and Frank Lampard’s appointment at Everton FC.
  • Representing Premier League clubs before the Professional Football Compensation Committee in multi-million-pound training compensation claims.
  • Acting for clients in disputes before specialist sports tribunals, including the Court of Arbitration for Sport and the FIFA Football Tribunal. Notably, John successfully represented Brighton & Hove Albion FC in a dispute with Málaga CF over a sell-on clause.
  • Representing a football investment fund in multi-jurisdictional disputes involving player economic rights across Spain, Portugal, and Turkey.
  • Representing Marc Bola in a landmark FA misconduct case concerning historic social media content.
  • Representing rugby players and coaches from Leicester Tigers and Northampton Saints in disciplinary hearings before RFU and EPCR panels, including Leicester Tigers head coach Michael Cheika in October 2024 in connection with an RFU disciplinary charge.

What do others say

Clients have described John as “having great knowledge of contractual and regulatory matters, remarkable business acumen about the football industry, and an extensive network with clubs, agents and peer lawyers,” and “a great external adviser who has become an extension of our in-house team.”

What else should you know

John is ranked as a Star Associate in Sport by Chambers & Partners and a Rising Star in Sport by Legal 500. He is also a member of Sport Resolutions’ panel of arbitrators and speaks Spanish.

What our clients say about us

  • I think Mills & Reeve are a wonderful firm. The support they have provided to us in a really difficult area has been brilliant, collaborative and commercially minded. The team were absolutely wonderful and a joy to work with. Amazing advice and support and a real collaborative effort with us. I can't thank them enough for getting us through some really tough times and doing so with an amazing can-do attitude.
  • They are friendly, fast, always available and always on top of the game. I tend to judge my legal team against the other side's legal team and never doubt Mills & Reeve is the better of the two.
  • All interactions have been very clear. Responses to questions have always been very swift and unambiguous. Our company, and my family, have used various services in Mills & Reeve with the same level of satisfaction.
  • I value the fact that Mills & Reeve are recognised as a good place to work in the UK Best Companies survey. This aligns with the values of our business and means that Mills & Reeve can share what is required to achieve this status with our business.

As many clients will testify, too many lawyers deliver the required legal expertise but fail to deliver an outstanding client experience. Which is why we always listen to our clients and constantly ask ourselves what we can do to deliver the results you expect.

You expect a close and attentive working relationship, with a lawyer that is responsive and available when you need them. You also want clear, pragmatic and commercial advice tailored to your needs, and transparency and certainty on costs. We completely agree. That’s why every day, through our culture and approach we are committed to delivering the exceptional results and service our clients expect of us.

Related sectors and services

  • Sport, media and entertainment

Contact John