Kenneth L. Shropshire, the David W. Hauck Professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and leader in the sports law industry, has joined Duane Morris’s Corporate Practice Group as special counsel.
“Duane Morris is a large geographic footprint law firm, with a reputation for innovation,” Shropshire told Sports Litigation Alert. “With that platform I have the ability to be involved in transactional deals of all sizes as well as litigation. One big area where I hope to focus is media rights, which have grown increasingly complex.” The firm added in a press release that he will be “actively involved in the firm’s multidisciplinary Sports, Entertainment and New Media group.”
Shropshire, who will continue to teach, has become a prominent figure during his distinguished 25-year career at Wharton, including five years as chair of the school’s Legal Studies and Business Ethics Department. His research and teaching there has centered on sports law, sports business and the social impact of sports, as well as negotiation, dispute resolution and diversity in the law.
Along those lines, he has served as an arbitrator in disputes regarding employment, agents, payments and eligibility to such clients as the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) and USA Track and Field. He has consulted on projects for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), NFL, Major League Baseball and the United States Olympic Committee.
At the University of Pennsylvania, Shropshire has participated as a faculty advisor and representative for numerous organizations. These include serving as the Faculty Athletics Representative to the NCAA, and directing the NFL/NFLPA Player Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program, which is operated by the Wharton Sports Business Initiative (WSBI). Founded by Shropshire in 2004, the WSBI generates and disseminates thought leadership on the sports industry through education programs, strategic corporate partnerships, and in-depth student involvement.
Shropshire serves on the boards of the Florida Coastal School of Law, the Philadelphia Sports Congress, and Peace Players International. He is a trustee of the Women’s Sports Foundation, and a founder and board member of the Valley Green Bank in Philadelphia. He is also a board member and past president of the Sports Lawyers Association. In 2000, Philadelphia Mayor John Street appointed Shropshire to chair Philadelphia’s stadium site selection committee; he is also involved with projects focused on future Philadelphia bids for the Olympic Games. As a result of his extensive activities in law and sports, he was named to Philadelphia Magazine’s “Power 100” list of the city’s most influential figures.
A frequent speaker and commentator in the media, Shropshire is the author of 10 books and more than 100 articles on negotiation strategies and tactics, as well as the legal, cultural and historical aspects of the business of sports. He has also written on salary negotiations, and sports and racial issues. In addition, Shropshire wrote a popular biography of boxer Sugar Ray Robinson. He was formerly affiliated with Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP in Los Angeles.
Shropshire writes regularly on sports law and business-related issues on the Duane Morris Sports Law Blog at http://blogs.duanemorris.com/duanemorrissportslawblog/.
He earned his J.D. in 1980 from Columbia Law School, and graduated with an A.B. in Economics in 1977 from Stanford University.
