Independent counsel before CAS
Antanas Paulauskas is an attorney-at-law and arbitrator based in Vilnius, Lithuania, with experience representing clients before CAS and other sports tribunals. He holds a Master of Laws from Vilnius University and completed ISDE’s Global Master in International Sports Law and the UEFA Football Law Programme.
The practice advises international clients in English, including athletes, coaches, clubs, agents and sports organisations. We assess each proposed instruction and any conflict before confirming representation.
An appeal or an ordinary arbitration?
Appeals arbitration concerns a decision by a federation, association or another sports body. CAS must have jurisdiction under the relevant regulations or a specific agreement, and the available internal remedies must first be exhausted.
Ordinary arbitration concerns a sports-related dispute referred to CAS under an arbitration agreement, which may appear in a contract or be agreed after the dispute arises.
CAS is therefore not an automatic appeal route for every sporting disagreement. We examine the jurisdiction clause, the challenged decision, the correct parties, any internal appeal steps and the applicable filing period at the outset.
Matters we can assess
Instructions may concern employment and other contractual disputes, appeals from eligible FIFA decisions, disciplinary sanctions, eligibility or selection decisions, and anti-doping matters. The available CAS procedure is assessed for each case.
We assist claimants and respondents, as well as appellants and parties defending an appeal. The first assessment distinguishes the requested outcome from the issues the tribunal can actually determine.
Building and presenting the case
We review the decision and procedural record, identify the disputed findings and legal issues, and organise the documents needed to support the case. That may include contracts, payment records, federation correspondence, earlier submissions and witness or expert evidence.
Representation can include preparing the request for arbitration or statement of appeal, the detailed claim or appeal brief, the defence and any permitted further submissions. We also assist with procedural applications, witness preparation and advocacy at a hearing.
The scope of work is agreed around the matter’s complexity and practical importance. We discuss procedural costs, evidence needs and possible settlement options, and involve local counsel when a separate national-law issue requires it. A hearing and a particular timetable should not be assumed before the applicable procedure is reviewed.
Urgent decisions and provisional measures
A suspension or other decision may take effect before an appeal is resolved. Where appropriate, we assess an application to stay the decision or seek other provisional measures. Such relief requires a reasoned application; it is not automatic.
Appeal deadlines depend on the applicable rules or agreement. Contact us promptly with the decision and when it was received. Sending an enquiry does not suspend a deadline or the effect of the decision.
The award and next steps
Following an award, we explain its consequences and advise on compliance or enforcement steps. Any possible challenge before the Swiss Federal Tribunal requires a separate assessment: review is limited and does not provide a general rehearing of the sporting dispute.
Discuss a CAS matter
Identify the parties, your role, the relevant sport and the outcome sought. For an appeal, state which body issued the decision, when it was received and whether an internal appeal has been pursued. For a contractual claim, identify the agreement and its dispute resolution clause.
Please provide only the information needed for an initial assessment and flag any urgent competition or filing date. Extensive confidential or sensitive documents can be discussed after a conflict check. Contact info@claimsinsport.com. Submitting an enquiry does not establish a lawyer-client relationship; any engagement is confirmed separately.