Commonwealth Games selects Birmingham firm to help clear legal hurdles

Gowling WLG has been selected as the official legal advisers to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The law firm was formed through the 2016 merger of Canadian firm Gowling and historic Birmingham firm Wragge & Co, shortly after its own merger with Lawrence Graham.

Wragge & Co was founded in Birmingham in 1834, making it more than twice as old as the Commonwealth itself.

Ian Metcalfe, who was Wragge & Co’s managing partner for eight years up to 2014, is now chair of Commonwealth Games England and sits as an independent director of Birmingham 2022 organising committee.

David Fennell, chief executive at Gowling WLG, said: “We have deep roots in Birmingham and as a global firm our reach also now extends to Hamilton, Canada, where the very first Commonwealth Games event was held.

“We’re committed to playing our part in making Birmingham 2022 a huge success for Birmingham, the UK and internationally.”

The firm is the first official sponsor to be confirmed for the sporting event and was selected following a tender process. It will advise on a range of issues, including corporate governance, procurement and general commercial matters, brand protection, disputes and risk management.

Ian Reid, chief executive for Birmingham 2022, added: “This is a very exciting time as we’ve just passed our three years to go milestone and our profile and workload is really starting to increase.

“We are completely confident in Gowling WLG’s ability to provide us with the professional legal support we require and we are already working very closely with them, as we continue our preparations for delivering the biggest event that the West Midlands has ever staged.”

Birmingham 2022 is taking place from July 27-August 7 2022.