Hogan Lovells launches 2022 Nicholas Cheffings Para Athlete Bursary applications

Global law firm Hogan Lovells is pleased to announce the launch of its 2022 Nicholas Cheffings Para Athlete Bursary applications, as it continues as a Gold Partner and the Official Legal Services Provider to the British Paralympic Association (BPA) until the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

The Nicholas Cheffings Para Athlete bursary supports ten Para athletes as they prepare for the next Paralympic Games and Paralympic Winter Games. Hogan Lovells will award ten athletes the 2022 bursary with the aim of announcing the recipients before the end of 2021.

Paralympians and aspiring Paralympians recognised by the BPA and their National Governing Body can apply for one-off bursaries to help with any aspect of their sporting development, such as purchasing or replacing vital equipment, paying for travel to training camps and competitions, or additional coaching and training support services.

Those who hope to represent ParalympicsGB in the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games or Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will receive one-off bursaries to help with their career development.

Hogan Lovells partner Richard Welfare, who leads the firm’s work for the BPA, commented: “We are delighted to support our next cohort of Paralympians and aspiring Paralympians on their sporting journeys, demonstrating our firm commitment to responsible business practices and making social impact with our clients. We look forward to receiving new applications and awarding the bursary to ten inspiring individuals who can benefit directly from the opportunity.”

UK Managing Partner, Penny Angell, said: “We, alongside the BPA, seek to promote a better world for people with disabilities and are proud to support its mission to make the UK the leading Paralympic nation, and to challenge perceptions of disability in wider society. At Hogan Lovells, delivering on our commitments to diversity and inclusion and responsible business is a strategic priority, and disability is one of our core strands of diversity globally.”

Hogan Lovells and the BPA have enjoyed a long-standing relationship since before the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. Throughout this period, the global law firm has provided the BPA with legal advice, secondments - including in-Games legal support and volunteers, supporting the ParalympicsGB team to achieve historic performances at London 2012, Sochi 2014, Rio 2016, PyeongChang 2018 and Tokyo 2020.

Great Britain’s Paralympic gold medallist and 2021 bursary recipient Charlotte Henshaw said: “To have the support of Hogan Lovells is so important to hopefully make some big strides as we move forward to Paris and LA and hopefully beyond that.”

As the Official Legal Services Provider to the BPA since 2013, Hogan Lovells will continue to provide legal support to the organisation across all areas.

The firm has recently provided critical support to the BPA on the impact of COVID-19 and the rescheduling of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, including advice and guidance on contracts, competition qualification and financing, together with in-Games legal support throughout the thirteen days of competition in September of this year.

To date, in addition to providing legal services through its longstanding value-in-kind partnership with the BPA, the firm has invested over £100,000 directly in British Para athletes.

Athletes can apply for the Nicholas Cheffings Para Athlete Bursary here.

The deadline for 2022 bursary applications is midnight on 5 November 2021.