Martin is a Partner and the National Section Leader of Hall & Wilcox’s Corporate and Commercial team. Martin also leads the Sports and Entertainment practice at Hall & Wilcox.
Martin practices commercial law and has extensive experience in contracts and commercial litigation with a focus on corporate, commercial, regulatory and private clients, with particular expertise in the sports and media sectors. Martin’s clients include public and private corporations, numerous well known national and international sporting organisations, governing bodies, athletes, sponsors, agencies and high profile individuals.
Martin has worked on high-profile and complex transactions and litigation, including media rights transactions, major sponsorship agreements, M&A in sport, governance, and rules and regulations.
Martin is well known for his expert, prompt and commercially focused advice on high-profile, high-value and strategically important matters.
Hall & Wilcox’s Sports and Entertainment team is one of Australia’s most well regarded with clients providing feedback to Chambers 2022 that "They're very commercial and practical, and focused on addressing the highest risks," also highlighting the team's "great expertise and experience, and great client service."
Martin has been listed in the Who’s Who Legal International Directory in Sports and Entertainment law every year since 2016; The Best Lawyers in Australia in Sports law and Defamation and Media law every year since 2017 and is Band 1 Lawyer for Sports Law in Chambers and a Leading Individual in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific for Media and Entertainment.
Martin is President of the Australian and New Zealand Sports Law Association (ANZSLA) and has been a director of ANZSLA for the last 13 years. He is also a member of the National Sports Tribunal.
‘Martin Ross is our lead Partner and he has a deep understanding of our business. He has a unique ability to communicate with our team in a way that we understand the reasoning behind the advice.’
Legal 500 Asia Pacific
Experience
- Acting for buyers and sellers of businesses and companies, including businesses in the sports, media and entertainment industry.
- Advising in complex, high value media rights transactions across free-to-air television, subscription television and digital platforms.
- Acting for both sponsors and sponsored parties in relation to major sponsorships agreements.
- Assisting clients with negotiations and drafting documents relating to the redevelopment and hire of major sporting facilities across multiple Australian jurisdictions.
- Advising clients on all aspects of the establishment and operation of major events, both in Australia and overseas.
- Assisting with corporate restructures, drafting constitutions for public companies, incorporating and de-registering entities and converting entities into corporations.
- Providing advice to boards and senior executives in relation to governance and disciplinary issues.
- Conducting proceedings in the Federal Court and Supreme Court.
- Drafting rules and regulations for sporting organisations.
- Advising on policy issues and preparing submissions for various clients to Government and related bodies.
Awards and Recognition
Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific 2020-2024
Band 1 | Sports Law
Best Lawyers in Australia
2025 | Commercial Law, Information Technology Law and Sports Law
2024 | Commercial Law, Defamation and Media Law and Sports Law
2017-2023 | Commercial Law, Defamation & Media Law, Entertainment Law, Sports Law ('Lawyer of the Year 2023')
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2020-2024
Leading Lawyer | Media and entertainment and Recommended | Corporate law, Mergers and acquisitions
Who's Who Legal: Australia & New Zealand
2022 | Sports & Entertainment
2021 | Most highly regarded category | Sports & Entertainment
Doyle's Guide to the Australian Legal Profession 2020-2021
Technology, Media & Telecommunications Lawyers (Victoria)