Interview with a sports lawyer. Álvaro Gómez de la Vega Jiménez

I am extremely happy to start our new season of interviews with the sports lawyer. I also would like to thank people from all over the world, who have told me kind words about this project.

I am happy to present you the first interview in 2021 with an excellent sports lawyer, who has an incredible background, the head of the Sports Legal Department at RCD Espanyol de Barcelona, S.A.D. – Álvaro Gómez de la Vega Jiménez (LinkedIn).

– Hello, Álvaro! I would like to thank you for this opportunity to ask you about your career in Sports Law. You had started your career in Sports law as legal Counsel for FIFA Players' Status & Governance Department. Could you tell me please, how did you get there?

– Good evening Valeryia! First of all, it is my pleasure to be here. I need to tell you that I have read previous interviews and I have enjoyed them a lot, so thanks a lot for the invitation.

As for my career as a sports lawyer, I started in 2015 in FIFA by pure luck applying to a position I saw on their website. I had no idea about this particular field in law and when I found it, after some research, I knew that it was made for me. I have been always passionate about sports and to link it with my legal studies seemed the right choice.

I found there was a legal department at FIFA while I was doing my LL.M in Madrid. I was at a job fair organized by the law school I was studying at that moment and I met a person who was working at a law firm I was interested to work for. When I was about to finish the program, I checked his profile in Linkedin and I saw he was working as a legal counsel in FIFA. After some years working as a lawyer in the retail sector, I decided to chase my true passion and I did the process being lucky enough to be hired by them.

– Please name the main responsibilities as a legal counsel at FIFA.

– I was a case manager in the Players’ Status Department. We were working closely with the arbitrators in the Dispute Resolution Chamber and the Player Status Committee. I was doing, among other things, the investigation phase with international legal disputes involving economic and employment matters.

The investigation phase consisted in collecting all the evidence and to grant the right to be heard to all parties involved in the dispute (normally the claimant and the respondent). This was a tough task in which you have to be very careful and accurate.

Once the investigation phase was concluded, we always did a deep analysis of the case, summarizing all relevant aspects and make our proposal to the Chairman for the debate that would happen next in the Chamber.

– After that, you have worked at Legal firm Schweele Law Office. Now you are working at the football club. Could you tell me please, which place of work do you like more: international federation, a law firm or a football club?

– All of them are different and all of them have their pros and cons. I would say the work in a football club is amazing and it is the position I have enjoyed the most so far. You are able to see a great variety of matters and it is impossible to get bored because there is always something going on. Also to be in direct contact with the players, the agents, federations is always very interesting and it provides you the bigger picture.

On the no-so positive side, it is important to bear in mind that your destiny is linked to the results of the team. Therefore, when the results are not good each match is lived with great suffering. It’s part of the game and we are all in the club in the same situation of stress, which helps a lot and makes bonds tight.

I can say that I also enjoyed the work in Schweele Law Office since their practice covered many fields and they gave me full trust to handle the cases I was dealing with. I was also able to provide the office with new clients because I had to cover that commercial area in Spanish-speaking countries. It was very fulfilling to gain their trust and create a close relationship based on transparency and hard work.

– Álvaro, except for your work at a football club, you are an invited lecturer at ISDE Law & Business School, Esade, and LaLiga Business School. Where you find the time and inspiration for it? And why do you like this part of your life?

– Time is gold and I try to use it wisely. As I said, I was not aware of the existence of this legal area. Therefore, I missed some guidance in my studies or somebody telling me sports arbitration/law was a potential field for legal practice.

I personally think students deserve to know all existing chances for their future and I enjoy sharing with them the things I learned during these years. It is very fulfilling to be useful for a person who is about to start his/her career and most of them show immediate gratitude. I truly enjoy teaching and it has become one of the things I am most proud of.

From another perspective, it is good for me as a professional to be involved in education too. If you are teaching you must keep your knowledge updated and teaching keeps us on track of the new changes that may come in our daily work.

Last but not least, my grandfather was a great influence in this part of my life. When I was a kid, if I had problems with a subject or something I was not able to do, he always found time for me and my brother to teach us. He always did with so much patience and devotion. I am sure that it made him happy, so I guess it is also in my DNA because I feel the same way.

– You speak in 6 languages (English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, and German). Do you think languages are a useful tool for a sports lawyer?

– I have to admit that many of them are quite rusty these days because I do not normally use them as much as I would like to.

As for your question, I firmly believe that languages are the most useful tool for a sports lawyer even when they are based in one country dealing with national cases.

Our practice is very dynamic and it affects society globally, consequently, communication is essential. Also, many players, coaches, executives are moving from one country to another, so if you are able to communicate with them (especially when they feel vulnerable in a foreign country), this is an enormous advantage.

– Which films exist in your must-watch list related to sports law and daily life?

– There are so many and I consider myself a major cinephile. It will always depend on how do you see sports. I think for any person involved in intermediation the best movie is “Jerry Maguire”.

From a pure sporting perspective, I always loved “Chariots of Fire”.

If I have to chose one film that shows the “real life” we have in a club, “Any given Sunday” is the best example showing the insights of any professional club.

– What advice would you give to our readers and young sports lawyers?

– To the young sports lawyer I have this simple advice: to be patient. Our work is based in gaining the trust of clients and employers and that always requires time and accuracy in the tasks assigned.

Young sports lawyers have to understand that some small jobs will bring bigger deals. These are tough times and I understand their despair when there are so few opportunities. Nevertheless, with a good attitude and hard work things will improve eventually.

To the readers even simpler: follow Valeryia’s publications and focus on staying updated. There are always new things coming (especially nowadays), new challenges that are about to take place and it is always good to follow good publications from people who are passionate about what they do.

– I would like to thank you for this interview, for your motivation to work harder! I wish you to enjoy your work every day!

- I hope to see you soon in sunny Spain and gorgeous Barcelona!