Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.
As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.
Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.
Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.
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3 replies on “Come Back to Texas, Once You Get All That You Can From Florida”
Texas is proving itself to be nearly in a class of its own, winning baseball and football national titles and threatening to win basketball this year as well.
I think that Michigan has to be considered the second best school for athletics. Along with consistent football and basketball programs, they have also excelled at men’s hockey. Schools like Ohio State and Michigan State also back up their football and basketball programs with hockey programs. Boston College puts solid squads too.
I’m sorry but did you watch the NCAA tournament? LSU shut down TX like no ones business…Aldrige was 2- for however many useless shots he took. How can you say TX is a premier sports school? They lost.
In response to Dan, you must remember that while it is great to be a strong school in hockey, not all colleges (including UF) are able to participate in the sport on the NCAA level. This is attributed to Title IX, which says that a school must have as many womens sports as mens sports. Because of that, some schools have mens ice hockey clubs and are unable to participate in true NCAA level competition.
And Chase, LSU has looked superb so far in the NCAA tournament. At the same time, a loss in the Elite 8 increases the validity of the statement that Texas is a premier sports school. Being in the Elite 8 means that you were one of the Top 8 schools in the tournament! LSU certainly ranks among the top group of sports schools as well.