Billy Methley's journey into Sports Law began with his studies in the LLM International Sports Law in Practice. Currently serving as the Legal & Governance Officer at England Golf, Billy holds the role of an in-house lawyer, responsible for addressing the majority of legal matters affecting the organisation, including, but not limited to, commercial contracts, intellectual property rights, sponsorship and marketing activities, data protection, equality laws and dispute resolution.
Reflecting on the dynamic nature of his role, Billy remarks, "No two days are the same." He emphasizes that a significant part of his work extends beyond legal matters. Billy and his team contribute to various committees and working groups, providing advice on projects, which allows him to immerse himself fully in the business operations.
When asked how the course prepared him for his current role, Billy explains, "The LLM was very focused on delivering practical education, much like the LPC or the BPTC. This meant that when it came to sitting across from senior managers or key stakeholders in a meeting, I was prepared to give the advice that they were looking for in a way that made sense to them as business people. It is crucially important to communicate effectively with your clients, which is something that traditional academic studies don't always prepare students for. Right from the first, this course challenged me to think in a way that was solution-focused and practical."
One aspect of the program that particularly intrigued Billy was anti-doping law. His dissertation, focusing on the development of a quasi-system of anti-doping jurisprudence at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and his choice of the clinical elective in the same area, provided him with a deep understanding of the subject. Billy said: “The anti-doping law module involved managing a case on behalf of a client facing charges for alleged breaches of anti-doping rules. This module was also assessed by way of an advocacy assessment and an essay with accompanying interview.”
For aspiring legal minds considering a career in sports law, Billy offers advice: “Immerse yourself in the sports industry, seek diverse experiences, and take advantage of practical-focused courses like the LLM program. Reach out to former students and ask about their experiences," he advises. As for the importance of the course, Billy said: “Personally, I sought out as much experience (paid and unpaid) in the sports industry as I could, and I enrolled on this LLM because I knew that the course content was quite unique and its practical focus would equip me best for entering the industry as an aspiring solicitor.”
As Billy reflects on his journey, he highly recommends the course to fellow Sports Law enthusiasts, stating, "This course was engaging, thought-provoking, and endlessly useful. I am very happy with the direction that my career has taken me thus far, and I know that this course and the skills that I developed during my studies played a huge part in helping me get to this point."
Congratulations to Billy, and we look forward to hearing more about his future endeavours!
