By Hayes Rule
Many aspiring lawyers want to utilize their legal training in the sports industry. “Sports law,” at its core, is the application of legal principles and thought to sports-industry clients. Therefore, lawyers practicing nearly any type of law—be it personal injury, labor and employment, immigration or corporate—could consider themselves a “sports lawyer” if they have clients in the sports industry.
With that in mind, there is no one true path to being a “sports lawyer.” The best first question to ask yourself may be, “Where do I want to apply my legal skills?” Would you like to work in-house for a sports team, sports league or sports company? Private practice in a law firm, providing specialized advice to sports clients? For a university doing compliance or NIL? Pondering these questions could give you insight on how to give yourself the best chance to achieve your sports lawyer goals. Know that your legal skills can be applied in a diverse range of areas in the sports industry.
Regardless, a good rule of thumb is to go to the best law school possible while weighing other life factors (financial cost and geographic location, to name a few). For example, I would not advise you attend a school on this list that is lower ranked over a top-ranked school such as Yale (which is not on the list). Ultimately, the primary goal is to become the best lawyer you can become. Attending a top-ranked school such as Yale, even if it doesn’t focus on “sports law,” affords wonderful job opportunities that will train you well and lead to sports law opportunities in your career. Sports entities, ultimately, want to hire and work with great lawyers. So, focus on becoming a great lawyer first and then supplement that with educating yourself about the sports industry.
This list is best utilized as a guide to see which law schools have made efforts, whether from the administration or student body itself, to focus on the area of sports law—student organizations, competitions, classes, certificates, internships and alumni. If you are considering schools similarly-ranked, this list may give you an idea which school is a better fit. For example, if you’re considering the University of Miami versus the University of Connecticut, Miami would offer you a better sports law experience and (most likely) more sports law opportunities early in your career. However, if you’re considering Miami or Yale, and all things are otherwise equal, I would advise Yale. Don’t simply choose Miami over Yale because I have not listed Yale on this article. Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Lawyers working in sports have gone to all types of law schools all over the United States. I encourage you to simply use this article as additional information in your toolbelt.
Here are some of the best law schools in the United States with a focus on sports law (in no particular order).
(1) Harvard Law School
The law school sells itself on name alone, but Harvard Law School offers something most other T14 schools don’t—a robust sports law curriculum. The program is led by Professor Peter Carfagna and offers the following: a sports law clinic with access to sports law externships, the Harvard Journal of Sports and Entertainment Law (with print and online portions, with the online portion being more accessible to student publications), an active student organization, an annual sports law symposium in April with an impressive roster of speakers and a plethora of alumni in the sports industry.
One of Harvard’s greatest assets may be its sports law clinic, which allows students to work for sports organizations while in school. The clinic has three available courses: (1) legal theory and history of America’s three major sports leagues, which leads to CBA-related placements in teams and leagues; (2) advanced contract drafting, which leads to in-house placements in teams and leagues; or (3) representing professional and pre-professional athletes, which leads to placements at agencies.
Students will take a course and then work in a placement afterwards. The clinic courses will practically prepare students for placements by, for example, practicing the negotiation of venue agreements.
“Primarily in the drafting course, we are drafting sports marketing agreements every day, all day,” Carfagna said. “Basically what I am preparing you for is a career where you can hit the ground running in a placement at a league or team, or when you graduate, at a law firm, where you’ll have a leg up. You’ll have already studied this stuff and done this stuff.”
The clinic has connections with placements all over the sports industry—teams across all major sports, sports agencies, unions, leagues and much more. Having sports law experience on your resume during law school is a huge boost.
Additionally, attending Harvard gives students a leg-up when applying for summer associate positions in Big Law firms such as Proskauer Rose, Covington & Burling, Winston Strawn, Latham & Watkins and others.
(2) Marquette University Law School
Led by Professor Paul Anderson, Marquette Univeristy Law School’s sports law program is one of the most dedicated and active communities in the United States. Marquette is known as a school that produces many future sports lawyers, so the law school’s alumni base is very strong.
Anderson said the sports law program has events “just about every week of the semester” for its students, with its largest events in the summer (an annual summer seminar, most recently on June 23, 2023) and fall (its annual fall conference in mid-October). The school offers 17 sports law courses, the National Sports Law Institute’s sports law certificate and six different student organizations. The National Sports Law Institute partners with Marquette and is an educational and research institute for the legal, ethical and business issues in sports at all levels.
Marquette also offers 35 internship opportunities each semester. Students have worked for a myriad of sports entities ranging from the NCAA to Major League Baseball, Nike or sports agencies. Further, students can participate in the Marquette Sports Law Review, one of the nation’s preeminent sports law reviews.
Marquette students are quite active participants in the sports law industry and commonly attend the Sports Lawyers Association’s annual conference.
(3) University of Miami School of Law
Located in one of the entertainment capitals of the world, University of Miami School of Law takes advantage of its prime location and sports industry connections to produce many future sports attorneys. Dean Greg Levy runs the program and has compiled a very competitive list of sports-based courses and faculty.
“The program covers the intersection of entertainment, arts, and sports law through practice-oriented and topical courses,” Levy said. “Run and taught by prominent faculty and attorneys and guided by a preeminent advisory team, students access co-curricular lectures, site visits at local professional sports, entertainment companies and art institutions, practicums, and courses abroad.”
One differentiating factor for Miami is that, on top of a J.D., the law school offers a robust Sports, Arts and Entertainment LL.M. Miami law students can complete the LL.M. through an accelerated program (less than four years) or non-Miami law students can complete the LL.M. program.
Miami also stays current with its course offerings; for example, some of its new classes this fall will include “Chat ENT: AI’s Impact on Entertainment and Sports” and “Blank Spaces: IP Law Through the Lens of Taylor Swift and Others.” Miami also offers “short courses,” week-long sports-centric courses.
Students remain active in the law school’s sports law society, and an impressive symposium is held each year in March/April. Miami’s location in South Florida (and Florida as a whole) gives it access to a diverse range of sports opportunities, and students who are interested in Latin America would be pleased by the law school’s focus on international law, as well.
(4) Tulane University School of Law
Many sports law programs boast about alumni participation, but Tulane University School of Law takes that as seriously—if not more seriously—than any other law school. Led by Professor Gabe Feldman, Tulane offers a formal “Sports Law Mentorship Program” between students and alumni, the only such formal program known by the author of this article.
“In 2022 over 160 sports executives engaged with our students through our Sports Law Mentorship Program, Sports Law Society Speaker Series, Entertainment & Sports Law Conference, Women in Sports Law Symposium, four negotiation competitions, and more,” Feldman said. “Many of these professionals are Tulane Law alumni who hold positions in many major league team front offices, general counsels’ offices, players associations, major sports agencies, and much more.”
Tulane has been on the forefront of sports law education for a while; it was the first law school in the United States to offer a sports law certificate. Tulane certainly earns marks for being innovative and active in the sports law space.
Along with having strong alumni relationships (which are important in the sports industry), Tulane students have the following opportunities: producing and editing the Sports Law Journal, an annual publication of the Sports Lawyers Association; producing The Sports Lawyer, a monthly electronic newsletter; producing Sports Law Weekly, a weekly electronic newsletter; and hosting well-known football contract negotiation and baseball arbitration competitions (along with newer basketball and fútbol competitions).
Additionally, students can attend the Sports Lawyers Association conference for free, a very nice perk that few—if any—other law schools offer. The Sports Lawyers Association is arguably the best organization of practicing sports lawyers in the country, so networking opportunities at the conference for no fee is a great benefit to your sports law career.
(5) Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law
Located outside of Philadelphia and not far from New York City, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law’s sports law program is a force to be reckoned with considering its vast amount of offerings. Led by Professor Andrew Brandt, a long-time sports agent and front-office executive with the Green Bay Packers, Villanova’s sports law negotiation teams have had some recent success.
Villanova offers just about everything other strong programs offer: an active sports law society, the annual Moorad symposium in April with industry thought-leaders, a sports law speaker series, the sports law certificate and the Jeffrey S. Moorad Sports Law Journal.
The sports program also has a sports law blog where students, including first-year students, can write on topical issues. Earning publications and publishing experience is a great way to create a name for yourself in the sports industry, and Villanova has a blog in place for students to start building their resume as soon as they step on campus.
(6) University of Florida Levin College of Law
A fast-riser over the last few years, the University of Florida (“U.F.”) Levin College of Law is a force to be reckoned with in the Florida legal market and the sports law industry. U.F. offers an Entertainment & Sports Law Roadmap of classes, an annual sports law symposium typically in the spring and the Florida Entertainment and Sports Law Review. Adjunct professor and alumnus Darren Heitner teaches a sports law class. Heitner is a nationally-recognized practicing sports lawyer and major contributor to the NIL space.
“[U.F.] allows me to create a curriculum that covers the most interesting aspects of sports law, with a live syllabus that is updated on an annual basis and a real focus on current events as they happen throughout the course,” Heitner said. “We aren’t just learning and addressing case law found in textbooks; we are dealing with real-world issues.”
While Gainesville itself is not a great spot for sports and legal opportunities, U.F. is a gateway to Florida’s abundance of sports opportunities. Florida’s sports market includes, but is not limited to: the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Bucs, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Tampa Bay Rays, Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, Inter Miami CF, Orlando City Pride, PGA TOUR, LPGA, NASCAR, USTA, Ironman, United Soccer League, Fanatics, IMG and collegiate athletics departments. Currently, existing externship placements exist with the LPGA and Women’s Sports Foundation.
(7) Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law – Arizona State University
Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law gives students a chance to flex their sports law muscle in the sports-friendly city of Phoenix.
According to Professor Glenn Wong, who leads the program, Arizona State is unique because of its emphasis on sports law and sports business; its strong relationship with the Arizona State athletic department and W.P. Carey School of Business; its Master of Sports Law and Business degree program and concurrent J.D./Master of Sports Law and Business degree; and its proximity to sports entities and events.
Phoenix hosts sports events such as the Fiesta Bowl, Waste Management Phoenix Open, the Super Bowl, College Football Playoff, NCAA Final Four and NASCAR events. Because of these events and some professional sports teams, Wong said, students get internship and speaker opportunities.
The law school also has the Arizona State Sports and Entertainment Law Journal, which recently hosted a symposium.
(8) The Franklin Pierce School of Law at University of New Hampshire
Professor Michael McCann, a routine contributor to Sportico (and previously Sports Illustrated), leads a formidable program in the Northeast at the University of New Hampshire’s (“UNH”) The Franklin Pierce School of Law. For those particularly interested in intellectual property law, UNH stands out. McCann mentioned the law school has consistently been ranked a top 10 law school for intellectual property (“IP”) in U.S. News & World Report since the rankings began.
“Many of our sports law courses incorporate IP law in innovative ways,” McCann said. “For example, we were the first law school to offer a course on NIL, back in 2020, and every year we offer an IP course solely devoted to sports and entertainment issues. This has led to opportunities for our students to land jobs and externships with law firms in their sports practice and IP groups, teams, businesses and others in the sports industry.”
UNH also offers a sports law certificate, a strong sports betting law curriculum, the UNH Sports Law Review and two annual symposia (one in the fall, one in the spring). Its most recent symposia have featured Congresswoman Lori Trahan (a leader in college sports reform) and discussions surrounding the legal implications between the PGA TOUR and LIV Golf. Recent placements for students have included Sony Music, Under Armour and the Dallas Cowboys.
(9) Fordham University School of Law
Along with a few other law schools on this list in New York City, Fordham University School of Law is uniquely positioned in a prime sports city and is a strong sports option for those who want to position themselves in the Big Apple.
Along with an active sports law society, Fordham is best known in the sports industry for its annual National Basketball Negotiation Competition (similar to Tulane’s football and baseball competitions). Students can compete in the competition, which coincided with Fordham’s annual sports law symposium in 2023. The law school’s symposium is typically held on the second Friday in March.
Fordham’s sports law class is taught primarily by Professor Marc Edelman, a national sports law expert, as well as attorney Dan Lust on occasion..
(10) University of Oregon School of Law
The University of Oregon School of Law’s special connection to sports behemoth Nike isn’t its only unique feature. Each summer, the law school hosts the Summer Sports Law Institute (“SSLI”), a one-of-a-kind program in the United States.
“The SSLI is a five-week intensive course that brings in students from around the [USA] and guest speakers from around the world,” said 2023 program director Ryan Gauthier. “It has been running for [10 years] now. Oregon also has [a Name, Image and Likeness (NIL)] clinic as part of its business law program.”
The SSLI offers classes in antitrust, labor law, intellectual property, Title IX, NCAA compliance, international sports arbitration, torts and criminal law. While you don’t have to attend Oregon to participate in the SSLI, it is a nice perk to already be living in Eugene while taking the program. The SSLI has featured some impressive faculty over the years.
International sports law is also a focus at Oregon.
“In addition to offering two credits each of Amateur and Professional Sports Law, we offer a course in International Sports Law that involves an annual trip to either London or Lausanne to meet foreign sports lawyers in person,” said Professor Robert Illig. “We also offer a class on Sports Licensing taught by a former Nike attorney who now represents Adidas.”
For those interested in sports law in the Pacific Northwest, Oregon is arguably your best option with its alumni base, offerings and regional contacts.
(11) New York Law School
A recent up-and-comer in the sports law space, New York Law School (“NYLS”) offers the prime location along with student and faculty support that deserves recognition by prospective law students.
“NYLS has a very unique sports law program right in the heart of New York City,” said adjunct sports law professor Dan Lust, who has helped revitalize the program. “The school is committed to furthering education in sports law and putting students in an ideal position to gain employment with the field of sports law.”
According to Lust, he believes NYLS offers four things that set it apart from other sports law programs: its NIL Pro Bono Project, which offers NIL education to athletes and entities in college sports; the NYLS Soccer Negotiation Competition; the law school’s annual symposium (held in March/April); and a new course titled “Advanced Sports Law,” which means the school will now offer two sports-centric classes.
For those who want to be close to New York’s sports offerings, NYLS is proving itself to be a law school where you can work toward a career in sports law.
(12) University of Virginia School of Law
If you’re looking for a school with prestigious credentials, alumni in sports and access to sports-law-centric education, the University of Virginia (“UVA”) School of Law should be near the top of your list. The law school is also situated close to the nation’s capital, a hotspot for sports unions or those who are interested in governmental relations in the sports industry.
“The University of Virginia School of Law’s sports law program is taught by experienced sports lawyers who bring their deep knowledge of the sports legal industry to bear on teaching students about hot issues regarding the structure, governance, and commercial aspects of amateur, Olympic, collegiate and professional sports,” said Professor Sarah Hartley.
On top of two sports-law-centric classes in 2023, UVA offers the Virginia Sports and Entertainment Law Journal and has previously hosted symposia in the winter and spring.
(13) Duke University School of Law
Similar to UVA, Duke University School of Law’s pedigree for law school education on top of its sports law offerings boast a potent combination for setting yourself up well for a career in sports law. The law school houses the Center for Sports Law and Policy, which is co-directed by Professors Paul Haagen and Doriane Coleman.
Duke’s geographic location lends itself, specifically, to sports opportunities in cities such as Washington D.C., Charlotte, Atlanta and Nashville (although Duke alumni can be found around the country).
In recent years, Duke’s program featured a student-run series called the “Future of College Sports,” which hosted several prominent speakers to discuss Name, Image and Likeness legislation when federal bills were first being introduced. The series featured Senator Cory Booker, among others.
(14) University of Minnesota Law School
For those interested in Name, Image and Likeness (“NIL”), the University of Minnesota Law School was one of the first in the country to launch a clinic dedicated to assisting athletes and influencers with pro bono NIL legal services. A practical experience offering like the clinic, along with its reputation in the Midwest, makes Minnesota a real sports law contender.
“Minnesota Law is a top 20 law school, part of a large Power 5 university, located in a bustling Midwestern metropolis notable for its innovative spirit, and has one of the fastest growing sports law programs in the United States,” said co-director of the Sports & NIL Clinic Tarun Sharma.
Along with the clinic launched in 2022, Minnesota plans to launch a sports law moot court competition in 2023 and a symposium in the spring of 2024.
(15) Brooklyn Law School
Location. Location. Location. Led by Professor Jodi Balsam, Brooklyn Law School sits in New York City and offers students ample sports law opportunities. Professor Balsam, a co-author of a leading sports law casebook, teaches a sports law class at Brooklyn and serves as the Director of Externship Programs at the law school.
“Brooklyn Law School wins the sports law lottery just by virtue of being located in New York City, with its 12 local professional sports teams, headquarters of [six] major leagues and [four] players unions and offices of the major sports representation agencies,” Balsam said. “BLS students regularly intern for these organizations, often alongside the law school’s alums, enjoying crucial learning and networking opportunities.”
Balsam said that sports lawyers often go to campus to speak and teach. According to Balsam, Brooklyn students appreciate that Balsam is a full-time faculty member and that her campus presence “translates into more meaningful and accessible mentoring and advising on everything from law journal notes to job interviews.”
Brooklyn currently has an active student organization and offers the Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment Law Blog. The law school’s annual sports law symposium is typically late October or early November; this year it is October 27, 2023.
(16) Pepperdine Caruso School of Law
Near the banks of the Pacific Ocean in Malibu, California, Pepperdine Caruso School of Law’s sports law program is led by Professor Maureen Weston and is near one of the largest sports and entertainment hubs in the United States (Los Angeles). Professor Weston has left a mark on the sports law industry as a casebook author in sports law and arbitration.
Pepperdine offers both a certificate in Entertainment, Media and Sports Law (“EMS”) and an LL.M. in EMS. The law school has an active student sports law organization and often participates in competitions and conferences. The school itself has hosted a range of conferences surrounding Esports, Olympic & International sports, Paralympic Games and Safesport; future conferences are being planned for sports gambling.
International sports law seems to be a strong point in the program, as Weston herself teaches international dispute resolution and U.S. and international sports law.
“A unique aspect of the Pepperdine Sports Law program are the international sports law study tour-intensive classes with site visits to preeminent sports organizations,” Weston said. “[The classes are] taught by Weston and Court of Arbitration for Sport Arbitrator Jeff Benz in London [with] upcoming courses in Switzerland and Paris.”
(17) UCLA School of Law
UCLA School of Law would be a strong sports law option based sheerly on its educational reputation and location in Los Angeles, but the law school also offers the Ziffren Institute for Media, Entertainment, Technology and Sports Law.
While the institute focuses on the entertainment industry as a whole, Ziffrin Institute Executive Director Cindy Lin said that two classes in particular highlight sports law at UCLA—the Sports Law Simulation and Talent & Brand Partnerships/Name, Image and Likeness Clinic. Both classes are very practical; for example, during the Sports Law Simulation class, students work on a major experiential project during the semester with an industry practitioner, such as the General Counsel of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“Our Sports Law program is unique because it focuses strongly on experiential learning,” Lin said.
Each fall, UCLA’s law school also partners with the business school to host the Global Sports Forum. With UCLA’s experiential learning opportunities in sports and its prime location in the heart of the entertainment capital of the world, the law school is a great place to begin a sports law career.
(18) University of Mississippi Law Center
Professor William Berry leads the University of Mississippi Law Center’s (“Ole Miss”) sports law program, a formidable program in a Southeastern Conference (“SEC”) school specializing in college athletics.
“Our program is the most well-established program in the SEC, the dominant athletic conference in college sports,” Professor Berry said. “With me and [Professor] Ron Rychlak, who is our [Faculty Athletic Representative] and a member of the SEC board, our school has a distinct expertise in intercollegiate sports [law] and internship opportunities within our compliance department and general counsel’s office.”
Students can complete a concentration in sports and entertainment law, attend the annual symposium in the spring and participate in the Mississippi Sports Law Review, one of only a few sports law journals in the country. Professor Berry is also the co-author of a leading sports law textbook.
For those interested in working in college athletics or staying in the Southeast, Ole Miss offers a very competitive sports law program.
(19) University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
UC Berkeley School of Law’s status as a top school in the country and its Center for Law & Technology should leave many law school applicants impressed. Situated near Silicon Valley, those with an interest in the intersection of sports and technology would be even more interested in UC Berkeley.
“Traditionally, many people think about sports agents and athlete contracts when they think about Sports Law,” said Wayne Stacy, the Executive Director of the Berkeley Center for Law and Technology. “The field, however, is much larger in today’s world of digital content, social media, video games, and licensing of name, image, and likeness (NIL). That’s why at Berkeley Law, we group sports law with our Entertainment and New Media pillar.”
Stacy said Berkeley’s program offers two dozen courses, ranging from Drafting and Negotiating Sports Law Contracts to Video Game Law. The law school will also be launching an NIL Clinic in the spring.
“Our law students, working under the supervision of expert attorneys, will advise student athletes that don’t otherwise have access to lawyers or agents,” Stacy said. “Notably, our law students will be helping student athletes from across the entire state because we will be partnering with multiple universities across California—with a focus on universities that don’t have a law school.”
Along with classes and the soon-to-be clinic, UC Berkeley also hosts an annual conference each April.
(20) University of Texas at Austin School of Law
For those interested in breaking into the growing Texas legal market and its large sports scene, the University of Texas at Austin School of Law offers probably the best mix of academics and sports focus. Along with boasting a large athletics department, the University of Texas offers an online, self-paced sports law specialist certificate program.
The law school previously had a sports law journal, but it is currently inactive. It is uncertain whether the journal will be renewed in the future. While the University of Texas may not have as many offerings as some other law schools on the list, the law school is still a major player in developing future sports lawyers in Texas and beyond.
Additionally, Professor Ariel Dulitzky’s research focuses on the intersection of sports and human rights and chairs the university’s Student Athletes and Activities Committee.
