Giorgia Merighi

Solicitor, Lewis Silkin LLP

I am an Employment lawyer at Lewis Silkin, advising employers and individuals on a broad range of contentious and non-contentious matters. I have a particular interest in contentious work, including advising on Employment Tribunal claims and High Court litigation. I also have significant experience in workplace investigations, having conducted a sensitive and complex investigation involving numerous witnesses and allegations of inappropriate language and behaviour spanning several years on a TV production set.

During my training contract, I gained hands-on experience across a range of sports-related matters, including drafting a sponsorship agreement for an F1 team and assisting with an arbitration between two football clubs. Since qualifying as an Employment Associate, I am continuing to pursue my interests at the intersection of employment law and sport, with a particular interest in investigations, employee relations, litigation, and arbitration. I am active member of the firm’s Sports Business Group and help lead our thought leadership on the newly established Independent Football Regulator.

Contributed to

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The Independent Football Regulator

Practice Notes

This Practice Note introduces the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) for practitioners who are new to the regime created by the Football Governance Act 2025 (FGA 2025).It covers:•the origins of the IFR including why it was established•its statutory basis•its objectives and regulatory priorities•its regulatory powers•matters outside its remit, and•the composition of its BoardThis Practice Note does not set out the licensing conditions, financial plan requirements or the suitability test in full detail.Origins and reasons for establishmentThe fan-led reviewThe IFR grew out of the fan-led review of football governance, which was chaired by Tracey Crouch, a sports minister between June 2017 and November 2018.The review highlighted the important role football clubs play in British life, particularly in supporting and uniting local communities. It also found that, despite the significant funds flowing through the game, many clubs

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