In-house adviser for global sail race

THE multi-million pound Whitbread Round the World Race has appointed its first permanent in-house legal adviser.

Commercial lawyer Nicholas Campailla initially joined the Southampton-based race organisers on a six month secondment from Clifford Chance. But the scale of the workload necessitates a permanent adviser and he has been appointed legal adviser and contracts manager.

His brief is to deal with the race's legal aspects which include contracts with sponsors, syndicates, ports and suppliers.

Campailla confesses to "knowing little about sailors", but says he is looking forward to working in an entirely different environment on a "huge and exciting project".

The next race, in 1997-1998, will be the seventh and sponsor Whitbread is underwriting the event with £10 million.

Whitbread is a regular client with Clifford Chance.