The United States Tennis Association is about as far removed as you could get from the American Museum of Natural History.
One plays up the living. The other plays up the dead.
One explodes into the mainstream for two weeks out of the year. The other appeals to a small niche of the American public, rarely making a headline.
One must navigate potential controversies. The other is relatively safe.
As different as they are, the two American institutions now have a common thread — Rachel Booth. Over the summer, Booth left the American Museum of Natural History to become Counsel at the USTA,
We recently sought her out to learn more about her decision and her first impressions at her new position.
Question: Are you a tennis player and does it matter?
Answer: I played on my high school team (light years ago) and now I enjoy spectating and playing tennis socially. Regardless, I appreciate the programs and events operated by the USTA, and the mission of the USTA- to promote and grow the sport of tennis.
Q: What attracted to you to the USTA?
A: The older I get, the more interested I am in physical fitness and tennis is a wonderful lifetime sport. My father and his buddies, all in their seventies, play competitively a few times per week. When I saw the posting for the position I was intrigued by the breadth of work it described and thought it would be a great place to apply and grow my skills as in-house generalist. After I interviewed and met some of the staff I knew it would be a great fit, everyone here is passionate about their work and the sport- it is an infectious atmosphere.
Q: How do you think this will differ from your position at the American Museum of Natural History?
A: Less dinosaur bones. The USTA is a more complex organization that the Museum, despite having a significantly smaller staff. The USTA is actually a family of five companies, which include an LLC, 501(c)3s, and a 501(c)6. Navigating the issues and constituencies of five separate companies is definitely a challenge.
Q: How many attorneys are on the team and how are the legal responsibilities divided?
A: Our Chief Administrative Officer, Andrea Hirsch is also General Counsel. In addition to Andrea, there are 3 other attorneys and myself. In very broad terms, before I started at the USTA, the work was divided between Professional Tennis and Community Tennis. There are two attorneys dedicated to Professional Tennis which includes player development, business affairs, and events like the Davis Cup, the US Open, and issues concerning the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadow. The Associate General Counsel works on the intricate legal issues that arise out of Community Tennis, as well as corporate governance and compliance issues for the USTA and its Board of Directors. My position with the USTA is new, instead of providing services to just Professional or Community Tennis, I will be providing services to both groups in specific subject areas such as IP, employment, media, technology and litigation.
Q: How would you describe the ideal relationship with outside law firms?
A: I have always had relationships with individual attorneys as opposed to hiring firms, which is a practice the USTA employs as well. You want the best subject matter specialist you can find, but it is also important to find counsel with whom you are compatible, professionally and personally. Long-term partnerships build trust and allow outside counsel to develop an understanding of the philosophy and structure of your organization, which ultimately will save you time, money and grief. I have enjoyed terrific partnerships with outside counsel over the years and look forward to new partnerships now that I am at the USTA.
Q: Who was the biggest influence on you becoming a lawyer?
A: The General Counsel at the American Museum of Natural History was an incredible mentor to me. He is a creative thinker and skilled strategist, and possesses an astounding depth of knowledge in the areas of law that affect the operation of a large not-for-profit. It was a privilege to watch him in action and have him edit and direct my work.
