Freshfields wins London Olympic gold

Magic circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has been appointed the official legal services provider to the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Locog).

The firm has been appointed alongside a range of other sponsors, with Deloitte the sole accountant on the roster and British Airways the sole airline, and will provide pro bono legal advice to the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

Freshfields London managing partner Tim Jones, who is overseeing the project, said: "The Olympics is the biggest event in London in any of our lifetimes and being able to make this commitment to the London community is good.

"There's also a pretty sound business reason for doing this because being legal adviser to the world's largest peacetime event is a great strapline."

Jones said that lawyers from across the firm's various practice areas would be called on to give advice at various points in the run up 2012.

"The actual work will cover property agreements for the use of venues, there will be a lot of IP and brand protection work and there will be competition law, procurement and employment law. This will span the whole spread of expertise in our office," said Jones.

In addition to providing legal advice, the firm will provide Locog with a number of secondees. Jones said that, while the numbers will vary, from spring three trainees and two associates will be on secondment to Locog.

Freshfields has been involved with London 2012 since 2003, having signed up with the Olympic Delivery Authority to back the original bid for the games and to provide legal advice.

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