Simon McCann

Simon McCann specialises in sports law, and personal injury cases with an emphasis on complex issues of fraud and liability. In fraud work, he has many years of trial experience.

Sports Law

Simon has a strong Sports practice across a range of sectors and disciplines. 

His main specialisations are in regulatory, anti-doping and safeguarding cases.

Crisis management

Simon regularly deals with “crisis” and “reputational” management situations, when an event or incident causes a governing body, club or athlete to face a range of sanctions, and/or adverse press coverage.  The key in such cases is an immediate, robust and proportionate response, together with an ability to plan the route ahead. Simon is happy to deal informally first in such cases, and acknowledges that access to advise quickly is vital.

Anti-doping

In anti-doping, Simon has represented Premier League football players, professional Rugby League players and numerous Olympic athletes who have faced doping charges brought by the Football Association, UKAD, World Athletics and other regulatory bodies. He has previously represented Dr Richard Freeman (formerly of British Cycling and Team Sky) and Dillian Whyte (heavyweight boxer).  Simon's experience of Doping and Integrity prosecutions is international and national.

Safeguarding

Recent safeguarding work includes investigations held by the Lawn Tennis Association, the British Horse Racing Authority and the England and Wales Cricket Board. He has also recently advised on appeals against the withdrawal of National Lottery funding from an elite athlete.

Sports injuries

In combination with his work in the Personal Injury sector, Simon has represented many players and clubs in "player-on-player" incidents, such as this:

https://www.theguardian.com/fo...

Football

Simon has for many years represented football clubs and players across a wide range of work - disciplinary, regulatory, safeguarding, advisory and insurance. Simon is a member of the Football Association's General Panel. He was formerly an Independent

Disciplinary Commissioner for the Birmingham County Football Association, and has a thorough understanding of the game (also beinga FA qualified coach).

He is able to deal with all aspectsof football club governance. He has, for example, represented a football club Chair who was made the subject of sanction for social media posts.

Other work

Simon is a Chair of British Canoeing's Disciplinary, Dispute and Appeals Panel, and has dealt with a number of Olympic Selection Appeals.

Simon is a member of the Sports Resolutions Pro-bono Panel, and is able to provide and representation in all areas relating to anti-doping, discipline and safeguarding.

He is a member of the British Association for Sport and Law.

Personal Injury

Simon has represented many insurers in catastrophic and serious personal injurycases both with Leading Counseland alone. Simon is experienced in joint settlement meetings and negotiations.

He is well-known and highly-regarded for dealing with high-value cases in which allegations of fundamental dishonesty are to be made. This often involves the interplay of complex medical evidence, surveillance and other investigative techniques (such as social media).

Catastrophic Personal Injury

Simon has represented many insurers in catastrophic personal injury cases both with Leading Counsel and alone. Experienced in joint settlement meetings and negotiations. Simon has an interest in complex issues of damages.

Fraud

Simon’s fraudpractice is insurance-based in high-value, multi-track cases.

He is a specialist in this area,with over 25 years' of experience of fraud trialsand the investigation of fraud, in which time has many hundreds of fraud cases to trial. He has advised motor insurers, employers’ insurers and local authorities on all aspectsof fraudulent claims,and has assistedin the development of a number of specialist fraudunits. Simon has developed a significant reputation defending fraudulent claims in both the motor and casualty fields.

Simon’s recent emphasis has been on cases in which insurers seek findings of contempt of Court, or in which they seek to bring private prosecutions. he has been involved in a number of high-profile cases:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/... 

https://www.insurancetimes.co....

Simon has spoken regularly at national events and at a local level on the subject of fraudulent claims.

Simon has a particular interest in cases in which surveillance or social media evidence are deployed. He is also able to advise on the use of developing technologies such as analytics and telematics. Issuesover data protection in insurance and fraud work are also within his expertise.

Areas of special interest:

• Fraud rings
• Staged accidents
• Fraudulent claims in the workplace
• Fraudulent claims against local authorities
• Contempt proceedings

Article:

Covid-19 & FD Trials