Rupert Beloff | Manchester, Leeds & Birmingham

Rupert is an experienced public law and commercial barrister who is regularly instructed to advise and represent local authorities and other public bodies. His practice covers:

• Judicial and statutory review.
• Vires and local government powers.
• Constitutional issues, powers and duties.
• Regulatory and disciplinary matters.
• Discrimination and equality duties.
• State aid and public procurement.
• Trademarks and intellectual property.
• Inquests and inquiries.

Rupert is a contributing author to ‘Goudie, Supperstone and Walker: Judicial Review’ and a member of ALBA.

Rupert’s practice covers all areas of commercial litigation including sale of goods and supply of services, general contractual disputes, financial litigation, restitutionary claims, insurance fraud and consumer credit. 

He has experience of substantial claims involving breach of contract, estoppel and personal guarantees covering both interim applications and trials.

Prior to joining chambers Rupert worked in sports media dealing specifically with broadcasting rights. He has a particular interest and experience of sports related commercial disputes.

Rupert has in addition represented auctioneers and dealers in claims relating to the sale of artwork and antiques.

Rupert has wide ranging expertise in copyright and IP matters including matters relating to musical compositions, sports, artwork and photography. He has also advised clients on IT related matters including click wrap and browse wrap agreements.

Examples of recent and current cases include:

• Advising a company in respect of a claim for damages arising out of an alleged breach of copyright relating to the use of a photograph on a dummy website that was accidentally published. The Claimant was a company that enforced intellectual property rights on behalf of various photographers.
• Advising and representing an importer in respect of a claim for substantial damages for alleged breaches of intellectual property rights arising out the its purchase of grey imports of computer products.
• Advising a leading toy manufacturer in respect of a claim arising out of their alleged infringement of trade marks relating to craft products produced by a third party.
• Representing respondent at hearing in the IPO to deregister a trademark for non-use. The respondent had purchased rights to a number of trademarks relating to anti-slug products and was developing a new range of products under those trademarks. The applicant, a rival company, applied to deregister the trademarks alleging that they had never been used and, alternatively, had not been used for the past five years.
• Advising a cinema chain in respect of an intimated claim for licence payments due for soundtracks of films shown in the chain’s cinema. Advice was sought on whether there was a separate copyright protection for the soundtrack that could incur a licence fee beyond the general copyright protections that attached to the films.
• Advising a local authority in respect of action it could take for in respect of misuse of its corporate coat of arms by a commercial company.
• Representing an international courier in a passing off action brought against a competitor.
• Representing a software company that provided security software in respect of its claim for trademark infringement by a competitor.
• Advising a manufacturer of sports cycling equipment in respect of an intimated claim by a major international sportswear company for trademark infringement.

Rupert has substantial and wide-ranging experience of sports litigation and advisory work including regulatory and disciplinary proceedings, anti-doping, anti-corruption, free movement and right to play cases and contractual and sponsorship disputes. He has represented and advised clubs, governing bodies, coaches and individual sports men and women in front of a wide range of tribunals and courts.

Rupert has also appeared for both Claimants and Defendants in ‘field of play’ injury cases.

He regularly lectures and gives seminars on sports law subjects and is a co-author of several leading books in the field.

He is a member of ARDL, BASL, the editorial panel of Law In Sport and the Sport Resolutions pro-bono panel.

Examples of his previous cases include:

- Christine Ohuruogu v British Olympic Association (November 2007) - appeal against lifetime ban on competing at the Olympic Games

- Bell v Governing Body of St Olave’s and St Saviour’s Grammar School (2013) ISLR SLR 28 – duty of care for a school in respect of the use of gum shields during hockey matches

- Bruce Baker v British Boxing Board of Control [2014] EWHC 2074 (QB) injunction to restore boxing manager’s licence based on competition and EU law arguments.

- Representing boxing promoters, boxers and licence holders in disciplinary proceedings in front of the British Boxing Board of Control.

- Representing a footballers, rugby players and swimmers in anti-doping proceedings.

- Advising a professional football referee in respect of an unfair dismissal claim against the FA.

- Advising a professional cricket coach in relation to constructive and unfair dismissal.

- Advising a leading speedway circuit in respect of safety rules imposed by the governing body.