Introduction

Talking points

Introduce the individuals who are present for the pitch, and briefly outline what will be covered during the pitch.

Slide deck

[Freshfields logo]

[Include images, job titles and high level experience of members of the pitch team]

Capabilities

Talking points

Full-service law firm

Freshfields has the expertise required to advise on the broad range of legal workstreams that can arise in connection with preparing for and hosting a World Cup. This includes teams that focus on:

• Commercial contracts: our lawyers can advise on agreements with suppliers, sponsors, football teams, broadcasters, content distribution, fans (i.e. terms and conditions governing ticket purchases), and any other stakeholders.
• Intellectual property (IP): we can advise on deals involving FIFA licensing its IP to stakeholders such as broadcasters, publishers, sponsors, stadiums, and manufacturers of merchandise. We can also advise FIFA in connection with its own licensing of third party IP rights, as well as enforcing its IP rights against infringers.
• Data protection, regulation and cyber: we can advise on the collection, storage, use and transfer of personal data across the world, including the data of fans collected during the registration and ticket purchasing processes. 
• Real estate, construction and engineering: our lawyers can advise on the contractual, regulatory and financing aspects of any complex infrastructure projects needed to support the tournament (for example, projects designed to ensure that fans have access to sufficient accommodation and can easily travel between stadiums). We can also support any host nations that need to build or renovate their stadiums, as well as advise on dealings with tangible assets (this might include, for example, leasing and licensing stadiums, fan zones, and hospitality venues).
• Employment: given the broad range of employees and contractors needed to deliver a World Cup, our employment team can be on hand to advise on workforce-related contracts, remuneration, disciplinary issues, redundancies and disputes.
• Sustainability: our lawyers can provide strategic legal advice to support FIFA and host countries with climate change and energy-related obligations. This might be key, given the important legacy considerations around hosting World Cups.
• Corporate advisory: our lawyers can advise on all aspects of corporate governance, compliance and disclosure, including advising the FIFA board in connection with the processes that must be followed when voting on and actioning key decisions.
• Other legal requirements: we also have leading corporate, tax, finance, regulatory, competition and disputes teams that can be on hand to deal with other legal issues should they arise.

International reach 

• We have offices spread across Continental Europe, including offices in Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands, as well as best friends arrangements with leading law firms in the jurisdictions where we don’t have physical offices. 
• This allows us to service clients in over 150 countries, which means we can comfortably handle all of FIFA’s international requirements internally, and advise on the local laws that apply in any relevant jurisdictions.

Scale

• A large global sporting event can require an ability to flexibly resource large legal matters that might escalate on little notice. With more than 4,000 people spread across the world’s major business hubs, we have the scale and experience to do this. 

How I approached this: I generally used the wording that Freshfields uses to describe its services (which helps to demonstrate my research), although I combined teams/paraphrased team names in places to keep this section concise. I then tried to tie in these services to the types of services that I thought FIFA and host nations might require in connection with a World Cup. In case studies, it’s key to tie your research to the facts in this way. I focused on the services that I thought would be most relevant, but also mentioned the firm’s other key practice areas in a “catch all” bullet point at the end, just to demonstrate that I was aware of the firm’s other capabilities.

Slide deck

Our unrivalled range of capabilities

• Full service law firm 

[Include icons under this bullet point to represent each of the key services that we discuss during the presentation, with the ability for the pitch team to trigger each icon appearing as we discuss the corresponding service]

• International reach
• Scale

How I approached this: I made sure the slide deck did not contain too much information, in the knowledge that those attending the presentation would otherwise read the deck rather than listen to the lawyers speaking.

Reputation 

Talking points

Freshfields doesn’t just have the capabilities to carry out the legal services required in connection with the World Cup. It also has a reputation for carrying out those legal services to the very highest standard.

Freshfields and its senior lawyers have secured over 100 top-tier band 1 rankings across key practice areas, as well as countless awards for the work carried out by practice areas in different jurisdictions.

How I approached this: I reviewed the list of awards on the firm’s website, then picked out those that seemed more relevant to the brief. 

Slide deck

Our reputation as a leading global law firm

• Top tier rankings
• Awards

[Include logos for Law Firm of the Year: France; M&A Firm of the Year; Latinvex Latin America's Top 100 Lawyers: Energy, Project Finance]

[Include icons for “101 top-tier Band 1 rankings”]

Prior experience

Talking points

Freshfields has extensive prior experience working on large sporting events and high profile sport-related transactions, each with a broad range of stakeholders and complex challenges. Many similar legal challenges will likely arise during the preparation and delivery phases of the World Cup, meaning the firm will be well placed to support FIFA every step of the way.

For example, Freshfields was appointed as the official legal services provider for the London 2012 Olympics, in light of the firm’s full strength across all sectors and its ability to be creative and flexible in the face of unforeseen challenges. Aspects of the firm’s role in this context which would likely also be relevant to FIFA’s specific needs include: 

• Setting up the structures needed to develop new venues and infrastructure and to actually stage the games. 

We could similarly help FIFA to create the legal structures and develop the infrastructure needed to stage the tournament.

• Overseeing the contracts needed in connection with logistics (including sourcing 100,000 portable toilets), sponsorship, the engagement of high profile artists and directors, leasing and licencing existing venues, and even sourcing the metal for Olympic medals. 

We could similarly help FIFA to draft and negotiate contracts with the broad range of stakeholders involved in the World Cup, from broadcasters, sponsors, hotels and other suppliers, to national football associations and the owners of stadiums, training facilities, and “fan zone” venues.

• Facilitating the use, exploitation and protection of intellectual property, including protecting the use of the Olympic symbols. 

We could similarly advise on the use, exploitation and protection of the FIFA trademark and World Cup logo.

• Helping to scale to 200,000 employees and back down to zero afterwards, including developing a streamlined online contracting process for 8,000 torchbearers.

We could similarly help FIFA to hire the necessary fixed term employees and contractors needed to stage the tournament, then terminate their engagements when their services are no longer required.

• Anticipating and advising on disputes.

The reality is that FIFA will likely find itself subject to various disputes during the preparation and delivery phases of the tournament, given the broad range of stakeholders involved. In a sporting context, disputes can often be brought by, for example, sponsors, suppliers, interest groups, employees, landlords and so on, and FIFA may also need to take legal action against stakeholders that fail to meet their obligations. Whatever the dispute, we have the experience needed to tackle, resolve or settle these types of disputes quickly and effectively.

Freshfields has also worked for the German Football Association, Romanian Rugby Federation and Formula One Administration, advised the organising committee of the Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023, and advised on both the acquisition and subsequent sale of Newcastle United Football Club by Mike Ashely (which involved partner Chris Mort serving as the club’s executive chairman).

How I approached this: I thought about which previous legal engagements might be most relevant to a large sporting event, then carried out research (and here, here and here, for example) to ensure the talking points were specific to Freshfields. In particular, I tried to anticipate FIFA’s legal needs, and draw parallels between our previous experience and how we might be able to address those needs.

Advice from ex-Freshfields partner Ben Staveley: this bit is pretty much the most important part of the whole pitch. For each example of the firm’s prior experience, a good pitch would highlight not just the high level experience, but also pull out some aspect of what happened that would make FIFA think: “ah yes, that might be something we could run into as well”. The content would then come across to FIFA as relevant, rather than boasting.

Slide deck

Our relevant prior experience

• Extensive experience working on large sporting projects
• Ability to help FIFA address the legal issues that will likely arise

[Include the following logos: London 2012 Olympics, Romanian Rugby Federation, Formula One, Special Olympics World Games, Newcastle United]

Value for money

Talking points

Freshfields provides clients with value for money from the outset. 

Legal technology

• Firstly, the firm’s Client Delivery Group is committed to adopting innovative legal technology tools, solutions and processes to deliver legal services more quickly, cheaply and effectively. 
• Moreover, Freshfields Lab offers a team consisting of specialists in data science, machine learning and software development, which – together with our lawyers – works in collaboration with our clients to develop new, bespoke solutions. 
• Implementing technology in this way can reduce the number of human hours needed to complete legal matters, ensuring where possible that FIFA would only be paying for expert human input (which can help to keep fees down).

Value-added services

• In addition, we would be willing to provide, at no additional charge, free virtual training sessions for the in-house legal teams at FIFA and host nations’ football associations, whilst also circulating regular industry and legal updates. 
• Moreover, we would be willing to second one of our associates to FIFA’s offices – at no additional charge – for the 6 month period leading up to the World Cup, to help alleviate the pressure on FIFA’s legal team as the workload ramps up.

How I approached this: I researched the technology that Freshfields makes available, then thought about why clients would care about this. I also included some points from my own general knowledge regarding the value-added services firms sometimes offer clients.

Slide deck

We offer value for money from the outset

• Legal technology
• Training
• Legal updates
• Secondee

Working relationship

Talking points 

In terms of our working relationship, we would appoint a dedicated “relationship partner” to act as a central point of contract for FIFA from day 1, meaning you wouldn’t need to coordinate the multitude of lawyers who would inevitably need to support FIFA. 

More generally, our lawyers are friendly, courteous, flexible and responsive (and this means willing to hit tight deadlines!). Expect nothing less than highly professional individuals, able to provide advice that is legally astute, pragmatic and commercial. 

How I approached this: this section was a little generic, focusing more on what large clients generally tend to want from their lawyers. I think it’s potentially fine to include points like these, as long as the rest of the presentation ties into the prospective client more specifically. But if you’re tight for time (or word count), perhaps omit more generic assertions that other firms could easily make, for example the paragraph about lawyers being friendly, courteous and responsive.

Slide deck

Our approach to client relationships

• Relationship partner
• Flexible and responsive

Values

Talking points 

Finally, we feel our values will make us a great fit for FIFA. 

Like FIFA, we have invested heavily in the communities we serve, including through us dedicating a significant amount of time and resources to community investment programmes, the provision of pro bono advice, and the achievement of sustainability goals. To draw some parallels between Freshfields and FIFA:

• We’re aware that FIFA was the first sport federation to join the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework. In a similar vein, we were the first international law firm to sign the UN Global Compact, which is driving the creation of more sustainable markets and economies. 
• We know that FIFA campaigns tirelessly against discrimination and aims to promote inclusivity wherever possible. We do too, for example through co-founding the LGBTQ+ Lawyers and Allies Network.
• We’re also aware of FIFA’s focus on ending education poverty, which aligns with the work we have done to date through our social mobility outreach programme: the Freshfields Aspiring Professionals Programme.

Given the alignment of our organisations, we would love to support FIFA on a pro bono basis with these types of initiatives. To that end, we often work closely with our clients on pro bono and community-centric projects.

How I approached this: I researched the firm’s values and CSR initiatives (including initiatives around community impact) as well as similar initiatives pursued by FIFA relating to sustainability, discrimination and community investment, then linked the two organisations’ commitments and investments.

Slide deck

• Values
• Investment in youth and sustainability

[Include logos or icons representing UN Global Compact, LGBTQ+ Lawyers and Allies Network and Freshfields Aspiring Professionals Programme]

General advice on how to approach a law firm pitch

As a caveat to the mock answer provided here, there are various different approaches you could take when working on an exercise like this. If you are pitching to an existing client – for example, to win a particular piece of upcoming work or to retain your spot on their panel of appointed law firms – you might not need to spend much time (if any) discussing the firm’s general capabilities, reputation and fee structures, as the client will likely already be aware of all this. Similarly, prospective clients such as large corporates and financial institutions will probably already know that Freshfields is a full service international firm with a leading reputation. 

As put by ex-Freshfields partner Ben Staveley…

“If I were doing a pitch like this, I wouldn’t spend any time talking about capabilities and reputation as a general matter. After all, anyone receiving a pitch of this magnitude will know that Freshfields is a full service, highly regarded international firm. Instead, I would start by explaining the firm’s relevant prior experience, and then drawing on this to anticipate the types of legal issues and requirements that will likely arise. All the preliminary stuff should come later, if at all. It’s secondary.

The focus should be on telling FIFA up front what issues, based on our experience, we think it will encounter in putting on the tournament, and how we would be able to help fix these issues. The Olympics experience is indeed the point that would differentiate Freshfields from other firms. However, rather than focusing only on how the firm solved issues for the International Olympic Committee, an effective pitch would predict and address the issues that FIFA is likely to face (which may of course be very similar). 

In other words, the pitch needs to come across to FIFA as being about FIFA and its own needs and objectives. This will demonstrate that Freshfields, even at this stage, is trying to see things from the prospective client’s point of view. And the recipients of the pitch will likely appreciate this kind of creative, forward-thinking more than listening to the firm simply burnishing its own reputation.”

With this in mind, in an interview or internship situation, it might be worth seeking clarity on whether you should assume that the prospective client to which you are pitching will already know the headline facts. In my own mock pitches during internships, we did cover capabilities and reputation to some extent, and received great feedback at the end. However, there’s no harm in checking. In fact, doing so could help to demonstrate your commercial awareness and understanding of clients!