Phillips Nizer has announced that Edward H. Schauder, a veteran sports lawyer, has been hired to lead that firm’s sports law practice. Schauder joins the firm as a partner in its New York City office after departing Steiner Sports, where he served as general counsel and executive vice president of licensing for the sports memorabilia company.
Schauder has more than 30 years of experience handling complex corporate and finance transactions, including advising clients in mergers and acquisitions, venture capital, and equity offerings — much of which was obtained in the sports industry. That experience should pair nicely with Phillips Nizer, which already has a robust practice around intellectual property and entertainment law.
“Ed’s sports law expertise adds another dimension to our firm,” said Phillips Nizer Managing Partner Marc Landis. “He comes to us highly respected for his legal and business acumen in the sports and entertainment industries, where he has negotiated many endorsement, sponsorship and licensing deals with iconic athletes and brands.”
Among Schauder’s accomplishments are the creation of an innovative sports marketing program, through which he was able to protect and market intellectual property for some of sports’ most storied teams, including the 1969 Mets, the 1977 Yankees, and the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team.
Schauder’s representative sports matters include:
Establishing sponsorship and partnership agreements with the New York Yankees, Madison Square Garden, Barclays, the Boston Red Sox, Notre Dame University and other major teams and venues.
Drafting memorabilia agreements with some of the best-known names in sports including Steph Curry, Aaron Rodgers, Mariano Rivera, Henrik Lundqvist and Derek Jeter.
Negotiating major endorsement and sponsorship deals with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tiger Woods, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Manchester City Football Club.
Acting as licensing agent for the Yogi Berra estate and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Securing the endorsements of Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Nancy Lieberman and Kevin Shattenkirk for a company that produces heart health and muscle recovery products.
Schauder’s corporate and transactional work includes advising private equity firms in high yield and public offerings, representing prominent funds in venture capital investments, and noteworthy “going public” and financing transactions.
Schauder said joining the firm was “a great opportunity to offer my clients even more help with protecting and building their brands — with entertainment, tax, fashion, intellectual property and corporate practices under one roof. By leveraging my relationships with athletes, teams and leagues we can also offer our corporate clients additional services to grow their business through the power of sports.”
Aside from his work billable clients, Schauder has been active in charitable and pro bono representation connected with the sports industry. In 1990 he co-founded the not-for-profit Negro League Baseball Players Association and served as its General Counsel. He was also General Counsel to the 2011 World Police and Fire Games. He is also president of the Free Synagogue of Flushing.
Schauder is an active speaker and writer on sports law topics as a contributing editor and writer for Professional Sports and the Law, teacher of several CLE sports seminars for lawyers, and a frequent television and radio guest include appearances on Good Morning America, Richard French Live and WFAN radio.
Schauder is a recipient of the prestigious 2016 Ellis Island Medal of Honor, presented annually to American citizens who exemplify a life dedicated to community service.
Schauder received his J.D. from Columbia University School of Law and his B.S. from Yeshiva University.
