The University of Minnesota Duluth has announced the hiring of Forrest Karr, a sports lawyer, as its new Director of Intercollegiate Athletics.
Karr has more than 20 years of experience working in collegiate athletics (17 as an athletic director).
Interestingly, Karr is a frequent speaker on sports-related legal topics. He has served as a moderator or panelist for the Sports Lawyers Association, NCAA Convention, State Bar of Michigan Bench Bar Conference, National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Senior Administrators Mentoring Institute, NCAA Regional Rules Seminar, National Sports Law Institute of Marquette University Law School, and many others.
Scott Bearby, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the NCAA, remembers Karr from his time at the NCAA.
“Forrest clerked in the NCAA General Counsel’s office in 2003,” said Bearby. “We saw, then, his potential to become a leader in college athletics, and he has hit that mark. We continue to work together through various NCAA committees and task force service. I especially appreciate Forrest’s commitment to the student-athlete through his national leadership on important NCAA policy issues, particularly in the areas of health and safety.”
Gabe Feldman, JD, Sher Garner Professor of Sports Law – Tulane Law School, Director – Tulane Sports Law Program, Co-Founder and Co-Director – Tulane Center for Sport, Associate Provost for NCAA Compliance at Tulane University, also had good things to say about Karr.
“Forrest Karr is the model for what a modern Athletics Director should be—he is thoughtful, brilliant, innovative, and a passionate advocate for college athletes and college athletics,” he said. “Karr is the ideal person to help lead UMD through an unprecedented time of change in college athletics. Congratulations to Forrest and UMD. Their futures are very bright.”
Karr is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School and a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin.
