"This is a very exciting time for Australian sport," leader says
Bird & Bird has bolstered its international media, entertainment, and sports offering with a new partner in Sydney. Briana Quinn has joined the firm effective June 2023 and will be working closely with the international firm’s Sydney and London offices.
“I’m pleased to welcome Brianna to our ever-growing Sydney office,” said Bird & Bird Australia head Shane Barber. “This is a very exciting time for Australian sport, with almost 30 major sports events confirmed to take place in Australia over the next decade. The depth of Brianna’s expertise will ensure that we remain the go-to law firm for our clients on some of the most important and complex issues in the international sports sector.”
Quinn brings over ten years of sector experience to Bird & Bird Australia, having led an international arbitration firm in Geneva, Switzerland and there represented international federations and clients across a variety of sports before international sports tribunals such as the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.
In addition, Quinn is a permanent arbitrator on the closed list of the Basketball Arbitral Tribunal – the body that resolves contractual claims between international basketball stakeholders – a member of the ethics board of the International Ice Hockey Federation, and a director of the Australian and New Zealand Sports Law Association.
Her expertise includes advising on sport regulatory, governance, and contentious matters, including anti-doping, anti-corruption and match-fixing, safeguarding, and sports governance and regulations.
Quinn’s arrival at Bird & Bird Australia marks the firm’s launch as the largest dedicated sports practice in Australia, offering a full suite of legal services for commercial, regulatory, and contentious sports matters while strengthening the firm’s wider international sports team and allowing her to better serve clients on a cross-border basis.
“Brianna brings fantastic international experience with her, and the nature of her work means she has great synergy with our existing international sport group,” said Andy Danson, head of the international media, entertainment, and sports group at Bird & Bird. “Brianna’s appointment is a part of an ambitious internationalisation and expansion strategy of the sport group, and her work with international federations, clubs, and other sports bodies makes her a strong addition to the firm.”
Asked to comment on her new appointment, Australia-born Quinn was most excited about the prospect of coming home.
“Bird & Bird has a market leading sport sector group that is internationally renowned,” Quinn said. “I am very excited to return to my home country, Australia, while remaining at the forefront of sports law. I’m looking forward to working closely with my talented colleagues in Sydney, London, and internationally to support our clients.”
