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A sports lawyer, also known as a sports attorney, is a licensed attorney who represents athletes, industry governing bodies, teams, leagues and other sports organizations. They deal with a wide range of issues that can span many areas of practice. 

Sports lawyers can be found at:

  • Universities and schools
  • Amateur athletic associations
  • Professional athletic associations
  • Solo practice law firms
  • Big Law or entertainment law firms
  • Virtual and shared office spaces
  • Other locations

 

As you can see, sports lawyers have a variety of roles in sports law. They work to protect people’s legal rights and interests. 

Sports lawyers must meet special requirements for formal and continuing education. Compliance with federal and state laws is essential to competent client representation. They must also have a strong command of contracts, intellectual property and civil processes. 

In addition to training, sports lawyers typically use the following tasks in their careers:

  •  Provide legal advice and guidance to clients 
  •  Provide dual representation services as an agent 
  •  Execute and negotiate player and team contracts 
  •  Help clients understand broadcasting rights, trademarks and endorsements 
  •  Represent clients in civil or criminal matters 
  •  Resolve labor and contract disputes 
  •  Establish commercial entities such as charities 
  •  Dealing with false claims 
  •  Communicating with the media on behalf of clients 
  •  Other required and agreed legal matters

Instead of leaving your next contract up to “best judgment,” sports lawyers make sure you don’t make any legal mistakes. This approach is most practical if you are managing your own career, team or organization.

Understanding Sports Law

Sports law is an umbrella term that refers to athletes, athletics and legal issues of sports organizations. Although sports may not have legal parts, the laws of sports are based on several other institutions. This is complex legislation that requires extensive training and experience to understand.

Types of Sports Law Practice Areas

Types of sports law include:

  • Intellectual property (IP)
  • Contract law
  • Labor law
  • Antitrust law
  • Real estate law
  • Personal injury
  • Criminal defense
  • Torts
  • Business law
  • Insurance law
  • Other areas of law

Examples of Sports Law Matters

Examples of sports law include: 

  •  Entering into a lease for a new building 
  •  Suing for breach of contract 
  •  Filing insurance claims after an injury 
  •  Initiating criminal proceedings within an organization 
  •  Other legal issues that arise
  •  Challenging working conditions or violations 

 

In general, sports law does not have a particularly identifiable body of law at the federal level. Instead, sports lawyers must interpret sports law using existing precedents and state-level regulations to provide advice. Hiring a sports attorney with extensive experience at The Law Offices of Sethi and Mazaheri in the field is imperative to making effective legal decisions.

Who Needs A Sports Lawyer?

If you need legal advice, it is very important to hire a sports lawyer. If general lawyers can give legal advice, sports lawyers know the specifics of the field. Their insights and guidance are very helpful and save time. 

You need a sports lawyer if you are dealing with the following legal issues:

  •  Advise and negotiate contracts with players and teams 
  •  Drafting legal documents related to athletes and sports organizations 
  •  Negotiating naming rights and percentages 
  •  Someone is under you. team in civil court 
  •  You face criminal charges as a player, coach or manager 
  •  Editing league rules 
  •  Legal and fair distribution of financial benefits 
  •  Deal with creditor and debtor legal matters
  •  Establishing business entities (such as LLCs or non-profit organizations) 
  •  Separating shareholders 
  •  Other legal matters as needed

 

Sports law jurisprudence differs from other fields. Avoiding common legal mistakes requires a certain level of knowledge and experience. Hire sports lawyers with years of experience to strengthen your legal actions and understand your rights.

When You Need an Entertainment Lawyer

If you are a musician, actor, writer, etc., at some point in your career you will need to hire the best entertainment lawyers in New York and New Jersey has to offer (we hope!). With so many entertainment lawyers out there, finding and keeping the right one is a career decision for the creative person; a decision that can save you money and hours of stress. Yes, hiring the right attorney can save you money. And a really good lawyer should be able to ease your stress. As an attorney with over twenty years of experience in both civil and criminal matters, I am in a unique position to tell you what to look for and what to consider in this hiring process. 

Common Reasons to Hire an Entertainment Lawyer

There are many reasons why the talent and other “industry” needs professional top entertainment lawyers of New York. Some of the more common ones are:

  •  Contract Control. 
  •  Contract drafting. 
  •  Contract negotiations. 
  •  Filing a lawsuit on your behalf. 
  •  Defending Your Case. 
  •  Assistance in obtaining project funds.

 

If you are hiring a sports lawyer, take the following steps for success:

  1. Narrow your search by asking for references, browsing online directories or using search engines. 
  2. Once you’ve narrowed down your initial list, review the law firm’s websites, especially their content. 
  3. Determine if the lawyer has training and experience in sports law. You want an expert in your corner. 
  4. Select at least three sports lawyers to interview during your search. You can choose more if you want to cast a wider net. 
  5. Contact law firm candidates for an initial consultation. Some offer free meetings, while others charge for them. 
  6. Attend an initial consultation, but commit only after interviewing each candidate. No rush.
  7. Don’t be afraid to ask lawyers legal questions. Rejection may mean they don’t meet your service needs. 
  8. Ask about pricing and payment structures. Put the proposed terms in writing before agreeing to them. 
  9.  Research local and professional attorney listings by checking client testimonials, news articles and reviews. 
  10. Find out if they can give you the personal attention you deserve by asking about their charge. 
  11. After interviewing the candidates, ask yourself which sports lawyer made you feel most comfortable and confident. 
  12. After considering all aspects, make a choice. Use your gut when hiring a sports attorney.

It is useful to contact the lawyers you did not choose to let them know you went with another candidate as a courtesy. Now you can finally start working with your lawyer.

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