Ian Laing is a football legal specialist at Lombardi Associates and was the first trainee solicitor at the WS Society.
You are a Sports Lawyer, at Lombardi Associates – a football legal specialist. Tell us about your path to Sports Law and about your role?
Prior to studying law, I was told by a leading sports agent that he preferred to hire lawyers and train them as agents because of the skillset their legal training developed. I started studying law off the back of that, knowing I wanted to find a path into working in the sports industry. In July 2016 I was a summer intern at the WS Society and unsure whether to progress. One thing led to another and I was offered a traineeship at the WS Society. From there I moved on to Lombardi Associates. The WS Society has a way of bringing people together! Meeting Paolo Lomardi at the Signet Library was a real sliding doors moment for me in terms of working in football as a lawyer.
What unique legal or governance challenges do football clubs face compared to other organisations?
Two years ago, I was appointed as a non-executive director at Dunfermline Athletic FC which has allowed me to experience the industry in a very different way. There have been many high-profile examples of bad governance in football. Fans are the lifeblood of football. Short-, medium- and long-term strategies all have to be adjusted if a few results are bad, or if you lose your coach or best players. Qualification for the 2026 Scottish Cup Final makes the hassle worth it though! The number of in-house roles in football, and sport in general, has increased massively in recent years. For lawyers wanting to work in sport, there are going to be more and more opportunities to do so. Complex rules mean good lawyers will always be in demand.
We can’t fail to mention that you did part of your Traineeship at the WS Society. What did you learn about the Society, that some people might not know?
I was incredibly privileged to be the first trainee solicitor at the WS Society. It was a fantastic experience. I was introduced to a lot of the membership and it was amazing to see the reach of the WS Society. There are Writers to the Signet in a huge range of industries. That reach has been a constant through the history of the WS Society and being based in the Signet Library for two years I was able to see how many things it touches. I could have spent twenty years there and never been bored. I’ll never forget the day James Hamilton, the Research Principal, brought what was essentially a shoe box into our shared office which had “Death Mask of Sir Walter Scott” written on the side and that was exactly what was in it. There is so much in the library that is fascinating and there must be more treasures. The people in the building are also an integral part of what makes the WS Society so special. While it may be the legal and library teams people tend to have contact with when engaging with the WS Society, they are supported by wonderful people.
What would you say to any lawyer considering WS membership?
It’s a privilege to be involved with the WS Society. I didn’t attend my graduations but I made sure to go to the Society’s Diet of Admission to receive my commission as a WS from Lord Mackay of Clashfern, one of the greatest legal figures of our time. To regularly attend events with Lord Mackay and now with his successor Lady Elish Angiolini presiding is always inspiring and you leave wanting to do more, both in your career and outside of it. Lawyers have an important role to play in society and being part of such a distinguished and historic body, one which exists for the public benefit and is now a charity itself, keeps you connected to that.
You also have the chance to volunteer to promote initiatives, like the Sports Law Conference as part of the WS Society’s CPD programme. That forum also provides great opportunities for young lawyers. For example, last year my Italian colleague Elena (a WS member) moderated a discussion with two of the three arbitrators involved in a doping case just one month after commencing her traineeship and she was incredible. Another trainee interviewed the General Counsel and the club secretary of Brighton football club. I was given so many opportunities as a WS Society trainee that it’s great to be able to pay that back with today’s early stage talent. Now we are organising the 2026 congress of the Association Internationale des Avocats du Football (AIAF) at the Signet Library. This also highlights that worldwide the Signet Library is seen as one of the best centres for sharing legal knowledge.