Christopher William Farnell was born on 21 December 1969 and is an English solicitor.
21 Facts About Chris Farnell
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Chris Farnell is a sports lawyer, working in media and entertainment-related law.
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Chris Farnell studied economics at Liverpool University where he gained a 2:1 in economics before he studied law.
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Chris Farnell was signed to Blackburn Rovers, but was unable to continue his career due to an injury.
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Chris Farnell worked at Eversheds before, in 2004, becoming a partner at Hill Dickinson, then founded and established IPS Law LLP in 2006 as a niche sports law practice.
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Chris Farnell gained a reputation in sports law for representing players and managers and in particular his work on image rights.
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Chris Farnell has been involved in the purchases of several professional football clubs.
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Chris Farnell was a club director between March and June 2013 of Wigan Athletic coinciding with the club's 2013 FA Cup Final win and Premier League relegation.
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Chris Farnell's directorship was ended on the same day as manager Roberto Martinez left to join Everton.
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Chris Farnell advised Massimo Cellino during his 2014 takeover of Leeds United.
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Chris Farnell reportedly sacked Leeds United manager Brian McDermott by telephone on behalf of the club's prospective new owner, Cellino.
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Chris Farnell was the lead lawyer on the 2016 sale of Swansea City to new owners; on the sale of the club, and was later accused by former director Steve Penny, who wanted to profit from the sale of the club, of bullying and intimidation during a board meeting, to make him leave.
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Chris Farnell came under scrutiny for his involvement in a failed Charlton Athletic takeover attempt with Paul Elliott in June 2020.
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Chris Farnell was instructed to advise majority owner Tahnoon Nimer with his shareholder dispute with executive chairman and minority shareholder Matt Southall.
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Chris Farnell was present when police were called to The Valley as tensions rose.
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In June 2020 it was announced that the club had been taken over by Elliott; however, in a court case the following month, Chris Farnell admitted the sale had not completed.
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On 6 August 2020, the attempted takeover by Elliott and Chris Farnell was officially rejected by the EFL, with the EFL saying three individuals, one of them Chris Farnell, were "subject to a disqualifying condition".
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On 28 October 2020, Chris Farnell was informed that his disqualification from being an owner or director of a football club had been lifted after a successful appeal to an independent League arbitration panel.
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Chris Farnell was interested in purchasing Burnley along with Mohamed El Kashashy.
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In February 2014, Chris Farnell was found not guilty of assaulting his first wife Rebecca, with whom he had four children.
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Chris Farnell is married to his second wife Clare and lives in Mobberley, Cheshire.