Venable LLP has announced that partners Desirée Moore and Ben Stockman have been named co-leaders of the firm’s Sports Law team. Their appointment marks “a pivotal step in formalizing Venable’s deep bench of sports law attorneys, who collectively have decades of experience advising sports and sports-adjacent clients in matters spanning many areas of law,” according to the firm.
“There are 15-20 attorneys who work with sports industry clients in some capacity across the firm, and many who have done so for years,” Stockman told Sports litigation Alert. “This experience along with a groundswell of interest from our lawyers with competitive sports backgrounds fueled our motivation to take the next step of formalizing this group of lawyers into a team. Our 2025 goal is to increase Venable’s presence in the sports industry, with particular areas of focus in real estate, NIL, crisis management, and labor and employment.”
Venable’s sports law attorneys provide legal counsel to leagues, teams, national governing bodies, franchises, universities, municipalities, athletes, agents, and licensors across professional, NCAA, and amateur sports. With “a deep understanding of the unique challenges and dynamics of the sports industry, they offer a background in the economics, venues, players, and rules that shape the game. The team’s range of services includes real estate, land use, construction, and environmental matters, as well as financing, sponsorships, licensing, media relations, rights of publicity, SafeSport compliance, internal investigations, labor and employment issues, and other sports-related legal concerns.”
“Desirée and Ben exemplify the forward-thinking leadership and dedication to client service that define Venable,” said Stuart P. Ingis, chairman of Venable LLP. “Their combined expertise and vision will continue to elevate our Sports Law team and deliver unmatched value to our clients in this exciting and high-stakes industry.”
Based in Venable’s Chicago office, Moore is a strategic advisor to sports clients navigating high-stakes crises, regulatory investigations, and litigation. Clients also “routinely seek her advice and guidance in matters that involve athlete safeguarding and wellness, the U.S. Center for SafeSport, and the Olympic movement, as well as her experience in managing reputational and brand risks tied to the use of digital platforms and social media. Her portfolio extends to corporations, nonprofits, and high-profile individuals, emphasizing proactive risk mitigation and innovative problem-solving.”
As a former competitive gymnast and longtime USA Gymnastics member herself, Moore brings “a unique perspective to her sports law practice, blending firsthand athletic experience with legal acumen.” She joined Venable in 2023 and holds a J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and a B.A. (magna cum laude) from the University of California, San Diego.
Operating from Venable’s New York office, Stockman is an advisor on labor and employment law, offering counsel to sports clients on critical issues such as restrictive covenants and executive compensation, at the intersection of NCAA athletics and labor and employment law. His experience “spans day-to-day management-side employment counseling, internal investigations, collective bargaining, executive compensation negotiation, employment litigation, and navigating the evolving employment landscape in professional and collegiate sports.”
A former Division I lacrosse player at the University of Vermont, Stockman joined Venable in 2014. He has represented clients across industries, including media, entertainment, private equity, higher education, and healthcare. Sockman earned his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School and his B.A. from the University of Vermont.
