Aaratrika Bal
Mr. Nandan Kamath is a renowned name in the sports law arena. He is a well-known speaker on topics related to sports law and is a sports enthusiast. Along with a BA.LLB degree from NLSIU, Mr. Kamath also holds a BCL degree from the University of Oxford, and a Master of Law (LLM) from the University of Harvard. He is also closely associated with various companies dealing with sports law, like GoSports Foundation, and Sports and Society Accelerator. Mr. Nandan Kamath has a boutique law firm in Bengaluru known as LawNK.
Here are a few excerpts of his conversation with Desi Kaanoon-
Q1 How was life at NLSIU different from that in Oxford and Harvard?
A1 These were three very different experiences, both in terms of their approaches to teaching and the growth I experienced. NLSIU was foundational and presented a variety of courses over the 5 years, giving us the chance to see the legal system as a whole and also to build connections between various subjects and laws and see them as part of a living system. Doing the BCL at Oxford was quite challenging as it required an in-depth study of a few subjects, focusing as much on why laws came to be the way they are as what they said. The jurisprudential approach encouraged one to question why certain laws ended up the way they did and built rigor in that sense. Harvard introduced me to legal realism, the law in motion, and practice and was excellent preparation for the practice of law. I also had the opportunity to go deep in areas of law I had always been interested in.
Q2 What motivated/inspired you to take up sports law as a career option?
A2 I was a competitive cricketer in my teenage years. I never lost my connection with the sport despite having left that behind as a career option when choosing to pursue my law studies instead. When I returned to India after a few years of work experience, I was determined to work in sports. A few of the people I had played sport with began approaching me with their legal questions and, gradually, I was able to expand my practice one client at a time. The
growth of the IPL and the professionalization it brought was a fillip to the profession and remain a significant standard setter.
Q3 Can you give us an insight into a typical day as a sports lawyer?
A3 Typically, there is no typical day! That is part of the fun. Projects can be wide-ranging from governance to commercial transactions, and advisory to research. Those working in disputes can also have a varied set of experiences each day.
Q4 Do you think the dynamics of sports law in India has changed from when you had started?
A4 The laws as they apply to a sport are still evolving and they will remain dynamic, especially as a sport is further commercialized, and influenced by technology and medical and scientific advances. Within the profession, there is far more interest in the field than there was a decade ago and many young lawyers are choosing it as a career path. This is meaningful, as a sport will need these professionals and their contributions to institutionalize and grow in an orderly and thoughtful manner. I am hopeful of seeing more initiatives that include high-quality academic and legal research, examination and writing that bring more nuance, and other projects that contextualize the issues for non-legal audiences and build a wider understanding and relevance for the field.
Q5 Do you think there is a need for a single comprehensive law in order to regulate sports in India?
A5 Not really. Any attempt that claims to be comprehensive will not be. Sport is an activity influenced by a wide variety of laws, including some that make special concessions for sport within their frameworks. While it is possible to have codes of governance such as the National Sports Code captured in one place, any attempt to build a single sports law is unlikely to succeed or add value.
Q6 Your company ‘Sports and Society Accelerator’ was launched recently. Can you tell us something about it?
A6 I personally gained a lot from sport and Sports and Society Accelerator is an attempt to broad base sport so everyone can benefit from sport, at individual and societal levels. The organization focuses on a structured, system-wide approach that aims for universal access to sports to achieve the objective of universal participation in sports. It uses policy initiatives as well as programs and projects that are aiming to remove barriers that stand in the way of these goals and focus on inclusion, equality, and empowerment using the universal, and largely untapped, power of sport.
Q7 What skills should one possess to become a good sports lawyer?
A7 The skills needed of a ‘good’ lawyer are necessary to excel in any aspect of the profession. Of course, in a dynamic field like this, it is also important to understand the multi-stakeholder model that sport is, the various interests at play, and also to follow contemporary issues and ongoing developments in sports.
Q8 Can you share some tips for aspiring lawyers or those who want to take up sports law as their career choice?
A8 I would say it is important to respect the opportunities the profession gives you, nurture your passion, remain curious, build the tools of patience, be slow to judge people and situations, and cultivate a sense of humour.