How long does the LLM in Sports Law take?

The LLM in Sports Law runs one year full-time or two years part-time. Distance-learning students on the LLM in Sports Law usually complete over the two-year part-time schedule alongside practice.

Is the LLM available online?

Yes. The LLM in Sports Law is delivered on-campus in central London, online with live seminars, and by distance learning. All modes require the dissertation.

Does the LLM qualify me as a sports lawyer?

The LLM in Sports Law is a strong academic and practice-informed foundation for a career in sports law, but solicitor and barrister qualification require the SQE or Bar training route separately.

What are the entry requirements?

You need a UK Bachelor's in law (2:2 or above) or an equivalent international law qualification, plus IELTS 6.5 where relevant. Senior practitioners without a Bachelor's may apply on portfolio for the LLM in Sports Law.

What are the fees and is funding available?

Fees for the LLM in Sports Law vary by mode and are published on the LSLPE fees page. Instalment plans, employer sponsorship and postgraduate loan guidance are supported by the admissions team.

LLM in Sports Law | LSLPE | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The LLM in Sports Law is a UK Level 7 postgraduate degree running one year full-time or two years part-time across on-campus, online and distance routes. The programme reads sports law as an intersection of contract, employment, competition, IP, image-rights and regulatory work, drawing on Court of Arbitration for Sport jurisprudence and Chartered Institute of Arbitrators standards for dispute resolution.

By graduation, students on the LLM in Sports Law are producing appellate-standard case notes, drafting player and sponsorship agreements to senior-practice standard, handling integrity and doping analysis, and completing a substantial dissertation on a live sports-law question aligned with the international regulatory environment.

Key Features

Doctrinal and practical modules mapped to Solicitors Regulation Authority competence areas and CIArb dispute-resolution standards.
Case teaching on Court of Arbitration for Sport and Football Association Regulatory Commission decisions.
Guest sessions from sports lawyers, agents and integrity officers.
Advanced contract-drafting seminars on player agreements, sponsorships and media rights.
Dissertation supervision by tutors active in sports-law practice or regulation.
Small cohort model with named programme tutor for every student on the LLM in Sports Law.

What You Will Learn

Draft and negotiate player, coach and image-rights agreements to senior-practice standard.
Handle sponsorship and media-rights structuring for clubs and federations.
Advise on competition and antitrust questions in professional sport.
Handle doping, integrity and safeguarding investigations.
Advise on cross-border transfer and work-permit questions.
Prepare CAS-style arbitration submissions.
Advise on the interaction of sport with UK employment and equality law.
Design a sports-law dissertation project with a defensible methodology.

Who This Course Is For

Solicitors and barristers extending doctrinal and commercial depth into sports work.
In-house counsel at clubs, federations, agents and media rights businesses.
Regulatory and integrity officers at national and international sports bodies.
International lawyers seeking a UK Master's grounded in common-law sports practice.
Senior sports executives with legal responsibility.

Career Pathways

Sports Solicitor in a specialist City or regional practice.
Barrister on sports-regulatory and CAS-facing matters.
In-house Counsel at a professional club, federation or league.
Compliance Officer on integrity and safeguarding at a governing body.
Contract Lawyer on player, sponsorship and rights agreements.
Legal Adviser to an athlete-representation business.
Legal Analyst on sports-regulatory reform.

The LSLPE careers service works with every LLM in Sports Law student on senior applications to sports-specialist chambers, City firms, federations and rights-holders.

Entry Requirements

A UK Bachelor's degree (2:2 or above) in law, or an equivalent international law qualification, for the LLM in Sports Law.
IELTS 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) for non-native English speakers.
Applicants without a law degree but with 5+ years of senior professional experience in sports governance, integrity or commercial roles are considered on portfolio.
One academic and one professional reference.
A 500-word research proposal on the intended dissertation theme.

Why Study at LSLPE

LSLPE reads sports law as a live intersection of contract, regulation, integrity and public interest. Central London places the Sports Resolutions arbitration ecosystem, City sports practices and governing-body headquarters within a short tube ride, and every LLM cohort is taught in the small select-committee format that defines the school.

Three parallel study modes allow practising counsel, in-house lawyers, integrity officers and international applicants to complete the LLM in Sports Law without stepping away from case-loads. Dissertation supervision draws on practising sports lawyers and senior regulatory advisers.

Apply for LLM in Sports Law

The LLM in Sports Law closes with a dissertation, capstone or sponsor project supervised by practising sports counsel and regulators. Apply for the LLM at LSLPE. Enrol Now.