Catherine Forshaw

Also experienced in advising clients on sport-related dispute resolution — including regulatory and contractual disputes — Catherine represents many clients in RFL Operational Rules Tribunals, FA Safeguarding Disciplinary Hearings, FA Rule K and English Football League (EFL) arbitration proceedings.

Prior to joining Brabners in 2018, Catherine completed a six-month secondment with The FA, during which she dealt with a number of regulatory disputes and commercial matters. These included working on the bid for the 2022 UEFA Women’s Euros.

Catherine was named as an 'excellent' Leading Associate in sport in The Legal 500 rankings for 2025 and was nominated as a ‘rising star’ within the Technology Media and Telecoms (TMT) category of The Legal 500 Northern Powerhouse Awards 2023. 

She was also recognised in the Leaders Sport Awards 'Leaders Under 40' Class of 2025, which recognises "exceptional individuals who have moved the sports industry forward in the last 12 months". The Judges praised Catherine for being "the embodiment of resilience, humility and quiet leadership" as well as a "powerful, often unseen force driving positive change in sport as a lawyer". They went on to state that "Catherine’s work does not just change lives, it contributes to reforming systems and furthering the fight for fairness and equality in sport".

A qualified UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) Accredited Advisor, Catherine is a member of the EFL’s newly formed Together Advisory Panel, which will guide the work of the EFL on issues relating to equality, diversity and inclusion.

She is an Independent Judicial Panel Member for the British Basketball Federation (BBF) and the Legal Representative and Chair on a number of national governing body eligibility and inclusion panels that deal specifically with the inclusion of transgender athletes in sport. Catherine has also worked for the British Association for Sport and Law (BASL) as its Executive Co-ordinator since 2014 and is a Trustee of the National Football Museum.

Catherine is a regular voice and face on radio and TV, where she provides expert commentary on sports law. Recent appearances have included the BBC’s debate alongside Olympic rower Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne and Australian lawyer and President of the Enhanced Games Aron D’Souza to discuss the legal, moral, medical and ethical issues arising through the introduction of the Enhanced Games as well as the BBC’s documentary Rucks and Riches, which investigates the future of rugby union in England. Catherine also participated in BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSport interviews to share her thoughts on the Government’s landmark introduction of an Independent Football Regulator as well as Chelsea footballer Mykhailo Mudryk’s anti-doping case.

She has also featured in the national press, having contributed to and authored a number of articles including for The Times, The Financial Times, The Guardian, City A.M, FC Business, The Athletic and Sky News on a variety of topics including the introduction of the Government’s Independent Football Regulator as well as transgender and DSD athlete participation (including the case of Boxer Imane Khelif’s participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games).

Catherine also participated in our State of Play sports conference, held at the Etihad Stadium in April 2024, which focused on athlete welfare in sport. The conference was attended by representatives from a wide range of sports stars and stakeholders as well as National Governing Bodies, who all came together to hear panels of esteemed guests share their views on mental health in sport, the growth in women’s sport, the role of technology in supporting athlete welfare and crisis management. Catherine chaired the 'duty of care' panel, which featured Jon Dutton (CEO, British Cycling) and Josh Rudd (Diversity, Inclusion and Social Responsibility Manager, Aquatics GB).

Catherine is based in our Manchester office.