Dr. Beverley Williamson
Competition & Sports Law Barrister
Antitrust & Regulatory Counsel for Global Sport
Protecting the commercial autonomy, governance and regulatory integrity of sports governing bodies, elite leagues and international athletes
Barrister
Bev is a practicing barrister at leading commercial set Kings Chambers. Her practice spans contentious and advisory competition law matters, with a specialised focus on navigating regulatory friction within the sports sector. Recent work includes working alongside litigation brokers and funders to assess complex competition damages cases in the sports sector, advising on leniency applications, and assisting on high-stakes costs disputes arising out of proceedings before the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
Prior to joining Kings, Bev worked as a specialist advisor for a tier 1 law firm in Dublin, where she worked on abuse of dominance litigation, advised a multinational through a cartel investigation, and advised an Irish entity through one of the European Commission's first labour market investigations.
Her public procurement practice provides a valuable asset to sports governing bodies navigating the strict tendering requirements governing major commercial contracts and sports infrastructure projects.
Former Regulator
Bev served as Head of Antitrust Investigations for a national competition authority, where she led a team of investigators focusing on abuse of dominance and Phase II merger investigation.
She also initiated the competition intelligence unit and market monitoring team.
Her regulatory enforcement background allows her to advise on investigations for sports bodies and integrity units dealing with complex governance, compliance and disciplinary matters.
Scholar
Bev holds a PhD in Competition Law, specialising in the regulatory dynamics of administrative and criminal cartel enforcement, drawing on the experience of market manipulation legislation.
Her research into competition law and professional rugby union has been cited in the House of Commons.
Bev continues to publish on a variety of topics, from the risks of private equity ownership in sport to how to design and implement competition compliance salary caps.
Founder
Bev is the Founder of the European League of Sports Antitrust, the first international organisation dedicated to navigating the rapidly evolving and complex intersection of competition law and sport.
Driven by an understanding that competition law principles are vital to protecting sporting ecosystems, she launched ELSA to serve as a centralised international forum connecting specialist practitioners to help leagues, clubs, athletes and institutional investors to help sport grow whilst protecting its unique socio-cultural value.