Two Leamington solicitors gave keynote speeches last week (April 2) at the annual conference of Bowls England, which moved its headquarters from Worthing to Leamington last year.

Some 300 people attended the conference at Leamington Town Hall Wednesday (April 2) to hear Kevin Mitchell and Nick Watts, from the commercial department and sports law unit at Berrymans Solicitors, talk about club liabilities, disciplinary hearings, data protection and social media.

Berrymans Solicitors is providing the sport’s national governing body with legal services and a members’ helpline, acting not only for the national organisation but also for its regions and 2,500 clubs across 35 counties.

Bowls England chief executive Tony Allcock MBE said: “We invited Kevin and Nick to talk at the conference to try and guide our clubs through some legal issues that many clubs currently face and it was wonderful that so many people were able to take advantage of their knowledge and experience.”

Kevin Mitchell added: “We were delighted to be asked by Bowls England to address their Annual Conference. The topics were selected carefully and it shows that Bowls England is really trying to look after its member clubs.”

Nick Watts of Berrymans Solicitors said: “The feedback we received from the delegates was really positive and we were delighted to be asked so many questions from the floor; it was clear there was a real interest in what was being discussed.”

Bowls England resulted from a merger in 2008 between the men’s English Bowling Association and the English Women’s Bowling Association.

The move to Leamington means that regional, national and international men’s tournaments will now be played at Leamington; which has long been the national base for women bowlers.

In addition to Bowls England, Berrymans Solicitors acts for British Swimming, British Eventing, British Blind Sport, the national Rugby Coaches Association, the national Elite Cricket Coaches Association and Riding for the Disabled. It also represents international rugby players,
county cricketers, athletics coaches and Olympic horsemen, as well such local concerns such as Warwick Boat Club and Leamington Cricket Club.

CAPTION: Bowls England chief executive and 15 times world champion Tony Allcock MBE (centre right) and Bowls England Board chair Gilson Mitchell-Gears (centre left) with commercial solicitors Kevin Mitchell (left) and Nick Watts from Berrymans Solicitors.