Harper Macleod to advise Glasgow 2018

Legal firm Harper Macleod has been appointed legal adviser to the Glasgow 2018 European Championships – a new multi-sport event that the city will host along with Berlin.

To be staged every four years, the European Championships will combine the existing European Championships of athletics, aquatics, cycling, gymnastics, rowing and triathlon along with a new golf team championship. 

Around 3,000 athletes will visit Scotland for six events (aquatics, cycling, golf, gymnastics, rowing and triathlon), while a further 1,500 will compete in Berlin as part of the European Athletics Championships.

The combined event aims to elevate the status of European Champions and attract a potential television audience of up to 1.03bn across the continent, with a wider audience via digital platforms. Attendances across Glasgow 2018 are expected to be in the region of 250,000.

Harper Macleod’s appointment as legal adviser to Glasgow 2018, under a competitive public procurement exercise, follows their involvement in a similar role with the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. It covers commercial contracts, IP, governance and regulatory matters.

Chief executive Martin Darroch commented: "We are lawyers who love sport, it is in the firm's DNA, so we were determined to win this role once we knew the country had landed the first ever European Championships, just as we did with the Commonwealth Games almost six years ago. We're delighted to have been appointed to advise on the inaugural event which we are sure is going to excite the Scottish sporting public.

“One clear legacy of the previous championships is that Glasgow, and indeed Scotland, is now regarded as an international sporting centre of excellence and major events such as this provide economic stimulus as well as a feel good factor which is almost impossible to quantify."

Councillor Frank McAveety, Leader of Glasgow City Council, added: “Building on our recent successes we are determined to use the Glasgow 2018 European Championships as a springboard to further enhance our reputation for hosting major international sporting events. We are known the world over for our famous welcome and love of sport and that will shine through next year."