Reviewed by Karim Eshqoor, Lawyer, Barbarian Law™ (LSO #83032R)
Sports officiating and legal practice demand the same core skills: deep knowledge of rules, real-time judgment when the “right” call isn’t obvious, stakeholder management, and clear communication under pressure. That’s why many top referees train as lawyers — and why lawyers often make strong officials.
As someone who has been a soccer referee since 2016 and spent five years as a hockey off-ice official, I’ve come to appreciate the significant overlap between sports officiating and the legal profession. Karim Eshqoor, Barbarian Law™’s Managing Partner, has been officiating soccer for over a decade in various leagues around Ontario. Both of us have observed that lawyers make good referees and referees make good lawyers. This can be attributed to the numerous transferable skills that both professions require for success.
Transferable Skills
- Deep knowledge of the rules. Both lawyers and referees need a strong understanding of numerous rules and regulations within their fields. It is not just about memorizing rules, rather having a deep understanding of how different laws interact and applying them in various complex situations, even when their application may not be clear. For example, the handball rule in soccer is notoriously unclear and often causes significant controversy amongst players. Similarly, many legal concepts like the standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt in criminal law or the reasonable person standard used in a negligence claim require interpretive guidance. Lawyers like referees must use their interpretive skills to apply them correctly. This robust understanding is critical to serving legal clients as well as being a top-quality match official.
- Management & adaptability. Game management is a key skill for referees. Adapting to the conditions presented in each game, maintaining control of multiple stakeholders, and allowing the game to flow naturally are essential for success. Similarly, each client file a lawyer takes on is not black and white. Every client matter presents different challenges, which a good lawyer can navigate.
- Communication. While it may seem trivial compared to the real-life matters with high-stakes implications lawyers regularly deal with, referees must know how to effectively communicate decisions to parties who are often displeased with their situation. In the same way, lawyers are often dealing with people engaged in matters deeply important to them and must be able to communicate information in a clear and concise manner.
Professional Referees
Several top referees in various sports have backgrounds in law, leveraging their transferable skills to excel in both professions.
- Ed Hochuli (American Football): Known for his clear and concise on-field explanations, Hochuli was a longtime NFL referee who officiated two Super Bowls, and a trial lawyer at an Arizona law firm he co-founded.
- Felix Brych (Soccer): A long-serving Bundesliga and former FIFA referee who officiated the 2017 Champions League final and a Euro 2020 semi-final, Brych also holds a doctorate in law.
- Wayne Barnes (Rugby): Barnes has refereed more Rugby World Cup matches than anyone, including the 2023 final. He is also a partner at a London law firm practising in government investigations and white-collar matters.
Conclusion
If you’re someone who is considering the legal profession, consider giving officiating a try. It equips one with countless life skills beneficial to the legal profession, which can be utilized for years to come. Additionally, it can help one make numerous connections in their community — helpful in building a personal network and a professional network as well. The similarities and transferable skills in both being a lawyer and a sports official are undeniable. Being able to learn the rules or laws of a sport, being adaptable, managing stakeholders, and being able to communicate clearly and concisely in high-pressure situations is why good officials make good lawyers, and good lawyers make good officials.
Written by: Andrew Lawrence, former legal intern at Barbarian Law
Barbarian Law is a transactional firm in Aurora serving York Region and the GTA. For sports, hospitality, or commercial matters: commercial · contact.
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This article is commentary and general information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create a lawyer-client relationship.
