Dan Chapman

With more than 20 years of experience in the profession, Dan currently heads up both the employment law and sports law teams at Leathes Prior law firm, where his clients range from Formula 1 drivers to professional footballers and governing authorities for sports. 

The former Keele student, who graduated in 1999 with first class honours in law & criminology, joined Leathes Prior in 2000 as a trainee solicitor, and has remained with the firm ever since – becoming a Partner in 2005. In 2019 Dan was named in the first Legal 500 Hall of Fame for the UK, which highlighted the nation’s leading lawyers. 

While Dan’s expertise lies mostly in acting for employers and high-profile or high net-worth individuals, and regularly appearing as an advocate before Employment Tribunals nationwide, he is also one of the few solicitors nationwide who has actively operated also as a football agent meaning he has been able to act for football clubs and players on transfers and related transactions. 

Dan said: “When I qualified as a solicitor in 2002, I was an employment lawyer, and my career since then has probably been divided into two halves. For the first 10 years or so, I was a traditional employment lawyer, acting in all manner of employment law matters across the country.  

“I’ve always had a passion for sport, and knew I wanted to work in sport in some way and I used my career as an employment lawyer to try and get me in front of, and working for, sporting clients. In the last 10 years that has gone really well for me and I now represent clients in various sports, from football to motorsport, cricket, horse racing and rugby. Technology now allows me to have clients all over the world who you don’t necessarily have to meet in person, and I have worked with a very broad range of people and organisations, from Formula 1 and Indy Car drivers to football clubs.” 

During his time at Keele, Dan was Vice-President of the Law Society. And he looks back on his three years spent in Staffordshire with fond memories. 

He said: “When I did my A-Levels I knew I wanted to be a lawyer but I didn’t want to live in London, which is where many people assume you must go to start your career. I went to various university open days and the cities terrified me, but Keele felt like a very safe and secure environment. A big draw to Keele for me were the dual honours degrees because I thought law by itself might be a little dry, so I chose to study law and criminology, which was a great combination. 

“You always say university was the best years of your life, and I had a fantastic time at Keele. I enjoyed it so much I barely left campus in the three years I was there! One of the things I look back on is how important that combination of knowledge and life skills was that I gained at Keele. I found Keele a very good place to transition into adulthood.” 

And asked for his advice to Keele’s current crop of law students, Dan said: “Don’t be obsessed with trying to work out what area or type of law you want to do too soon. I was convinced I was going to be a criminal lawyer and I would have argued with anybody who told me different, but I stumbled into employment law while training and that has now morphed into sport. It’s important to keep your eyes and options open. 
 
“I would also stress how important it is to network, because a big part of the job is actually sales and marketing. Some firms will spoon feed you but the vast majority will expect you to try and win some business through your own endeavours and contacts.  Start on that journey as soon as you can.”