Lawyer in the news

Peter Cadman Russell-Cooke

Who? Peter Cadman, 57-year-old partner and head of London firm Russell-Cooke’s professional regulation and sport department.



Why is he in the news? Sat on the Football Association’s independent three-man arbitration panel that last week heard Leeds United Football Club’s appeal against a 15-point deduction from its League One points tally. He and retired High Court judge Sir Philip Otton, alongside former Premier League chief executive Peter Leaver, dismissed Leeds’ appeal.

Saddled with debts of around £35 million, Leeds United went into administration last May. The club was deducted the points by the Football League as punishment for allegedly breaking its insolvency rules, by failing to exit administration by way of a company voluntary arrangement.

United’s lawyers attempted to convince the panel that the league acted outside its jurisdiction when docking the points. If they had been successful, Leeds would have moved into the second automatic promotion spot. Several other clubs had threatened legal action if Leeds won its appeal.



Background: Law degree at King’s College London in 1973. Entered Russell-Cooke as an articled clerk, qualified in 1976, and made partner in 1977. Sports law postgraduate degree, appointed head of professional regulation and sport in 2000.



Route to the case: ‘I was nominated by Leeds to sit on the arbitration panel. I have previously sat on Premier League arbitration panels, dealing with complaints between managers and players, and acted for Jose Mourinho in the Ashley Cole tapping-up affair [in which Mourinho, Cole and Chelsea Football Club were fined].’



Thoughts on the case: ‘It was difficult for Leeds because they had signed a compromise agreement. Clause four stated that they would not pursue legal action based on the points deduction, and we deemed that sufficient to reject their claims. Also, they had delayed bringing their claims before the arbitration panel for too lo?ng, which was unfair to other clubs. In a postscript on the judgment, we suggested the Football League urgently redraft its insolvency policy. Clubs need a right of appeal to an independent body, and the Football League shouldn’t go to clubs in the same league for their opinions, as they did here.’



Dealing with the media: ‘The BBC has been in touch [over this case], and I’ve had dealings with journalists in the past, especially in relation to the Chelsea cases, but I’ve been sufficiently able to keep them at bay. My general approach is to be politely un-informative.’



Career highlight: ‘Calling Jose Mourinho to give evidence in the Ashley Cole tapping-up case. I was a little afraid about what he might say and the manner in which he would say it.’



James Dean