Commonwealth Games England (CGE) has added to its portfolio of commercial partners and secured its first ever Official Legal Partner after agreeing a deal with leading law firm Shakespeare Martineau for the next three years.

The firm becomes Team England’s first major partner since the conclusion of last month’s 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa, where England won the second highest number of medals. Shakespeare Martineau will partner with England through the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games and to the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

Shakespeare Martineau has linked up with Team England to engage their staff, emphasisethe importance of teamwork and reflect how fostering talent, spirit and enterprise are vital for success in both sport and business.

Shakespeare Martineau is a prominent and rapidly growing UK law firm and offers a range of legal services to individuals and clients across a variety of sectors. The UK top 50 firm was formed in June 2015 through the merger of Shakespeares and SGH Martineau, creating a legal work force of more than 135 partners and 870 people across eight UK offices.

Paul Blanchard, Chief Executive of Commonwealth Games England, said: “Following a highly successful 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games for Team England, we're delighted to announce that Shakespeare Martineau will be Team England’s first ever Official Legal Partner.

 

“We're excited about working with Shakespeare Martineau to show how integral teamwork is in both sporting and business environments. We also share similar beliefs when it comes to fostering upcoming talent. With the support of Shakespeare Martineau, we aim to send the best team we can to the Gold Coast 2018.”

Joanna Thornell, Client and Markets Director at Shakespeare Martineau, said: “We’re delighted to be at the beginning of a partnership between two teams who share the same winning spirit and focus on supporting talent to achieve their potential. Everyone here has a great sense of pride and excitement to be working with Team England – a team that, after all, reflects just how much can be achieved by a diverse and varied group of individuals all focused on one goal. We can’t wait to get started.”

Nick Evans, Head of Commercial at Commonwealth Games England, said: ““Our plan is to build a powerful team of commercial partners who buy into our vision to create a winning England movement over the next few years in the lead up to the 2018 Games.

“We are delighted Shakespeare Martineau has joined our winning Team. There is tremendous synergy between Team England and Shakespeare Martineau and we look forward to utilising our assets such as motivational speaking, staff engagement, supporting emerging talent and utilising the power of our brand to leverage the partnership and make it a success over the next three years.” 

Newly-formed Shakespeare Martineau recently hosted an event to introduce the 130 partners to a selection of Team England’s talent who were in attendance, to talk teamwork, goal setting and elite performance and to give Shakespeare Martineau a taste of what’s to come over the next three years.

Team England shooter Matt French, who won a Silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014, Commonwealth judoka champion Nekoda Smythe-Davis and Emma Hamplett, a Commonwealth Youth Games javelin Gold medallist provided athlete insights in an engaging Q&A panel.

Greg Whyte, renowned sports scientist, Sport Relief challenge guru and Team England performance manager, who has also competed in two Olympic Games as a modern pentathlete, also gave a presentation on achieving the impossible across sport, business and personal challenges.