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Agent Spotlight: Kristen Kuliga

It all started with Doug Flutie, but then again, what good story does not begin with him? Kristen Kuliga can thank Flutie for helping her become the first and only women to represent an NFL player [Female agent to speak at Waterbury Forum]. Flutie can thank Kuliga for being the highest paid backup quarterback in the history of the NFL [Female agents a rarity in team sports]. Doug’s girl continues to be the only female agent (out of the 30 NFLPA registered women and 1,150 total registered representatives) to negotiate contracts for active NFL players.

Kuliga excelled as a student at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and then as a law school student at Suffolk University. She continues to give back to academia by serving as an Adjunct Professor of Sports Law at Suffolk University Law School.

Beyond the class room, Kristen Kuliga began her career in sports as General Counsel and Vice President of Athlete Marketing at the late Woolf Associates (notice Flutie’s name as a former client). After working at Woolf Associates, Kuliga founded K Sports & Entertainment, which was purchased by Paid, Inc. in 2004, but continues to exist as a co-entity. Kristen Kuliga remains as a personal agent for her NFL clients while acting as Vice President of Celebrity Services for Paid, Inc.

Boston, and the rest of the country, is recognizing Kristen Kuliga’s achievements. Kuliga has been named to The Boston Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 (out of 285+ nominated) for her work with K Sports, Paid Inc, and for offering free legal services to the homeless and underprivileged [The BBJ 40 Under 40: Women make their mark]. She is also a member of the National Sports Marketing Network’s Boston Chapter Steering Committee [NSMN].

It is hard to find anything that Kuliga is not involved in. She puts in about 60 hours of work per week into doing what she truly loves. One thing is certain: do not tell Kristen Kuliga that there is something that she cannot do, because she just may have to prove you wrong.

Here is a list of Kristen Kuliga’s current clients: Current NFL Players

-Darren Heitner

By Darren Heitner

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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