Matthew Astley

Matthew Astley is a Senior Associate in our commercial litigation team. He deals with a wide range of commercial litigation and dispute resolution matters, including contractual disputes, shareholder and director disputes and professional negligence cases. He also handles employment-related litigation matters (including claims for breach of restrictive covenant and misuse of confidential information) and similar claims involving contractors and commercial parties. Matthew has a strong track record in sports-related litigation and arbitration cases, as well as sports regulatory and disciplinary matters, having acted for clients in proceedings before sports national governing bodies including The FA, British Cycling and British Dressage. He's a member of The FA’s National Serious Case Panel — which adjudicates on all types of serious disciplinary cases in grassroots football — and a Specialist Member of Sport Resolutions’ Panel of Arbitrators. His reported cases include Fleetwood Wanderers Limited (t/a Fleetwood Town Football Club) v AFC Fylde Limited [2018] EWHC 3318 (Comm) — concerning an appeal against the decision of an FA Rule K arbitrator. Matthew joined us in January 2024 and is based in our Lancashire office. · Brabners LLP

EnglandCommercial Litigation, Employment

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About

Matthew Astley is a Senior Associate in Brabners LLP’s commercial litigation team, based in the firm's Lancashire office; he joined the firm in January 2024. He advises on a wide range of commercial and employment-related litigation—including contractual disputes, shareholder and director disputes, professional negligence, and claims for breach of restrictive covenants and misuse of confidential information—and has a strong track record in sports-related litigation, arbitration and regulatory/disciplinary matters.

Practice areas

Commercial LitigationEmploymentArbitrationSports Law

Office

England

Brabners LLP · Matthew Astley is a Senior Associate in our commercial litigation team. He deals with a wide range of commercial litigation and dispute resolution matters, including contractual disputes, shareholder and director disputes and professional negligence cases. He also handles employment-related litigation matters (including claims for breach of restrictive covenant and misuse of confidential information) and similar claims involving contractors and commercial parties. Matthew has a strong track record in sports-related litigation and arbitration cases, as well as sports regulatory and disciplinary matters, having acted for clients in proceedings before sports national governing bodies including The FA, British Cycling and British Dressage. He's a member of The FA’s National Serious Case Panel — which adjudicates on all types of serious disciplinary cases in grassroots football — and a Specialist Member of Sport Resolutions’ Panel of Arbitrators. His reported cases include Fleetwood Wanderers Limited (t/a Fleetwood Town Football Club) v AFC Fylde Limited [2018] EWHC 3318 (Comm) — concerning an appeal against the decision of an FA Rule K arbitrator. Matthew joined us in January 2024 and is based in our Lancashire office.

England

Expertise

Sports regulatory and disciplinary mattersSports arbitrationFootball, cycling and equestrian (dressage) mattersContractual disputesShareholder and director disputesProfessional negligenceEmployment-related litigation (restrictive covenants and misuse of confidential information)