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Nightmare Clients of the Week

Nightmare Clients for the Week of January 21st-January 28th

1. Al Unser Jr., two-time Indy 500 winner, has been charged with DUI. This is probably the last thing that I would expect from a motor racing professional [Two-time Indy winner Unser Jr. charged with DUI].

2. Jonathan Joseph of the Cincinnati Bengals became the ninth Cinci player arrested in as many months after being charged with possession of marijuana. This should teach players to not stash their Mary Jane in Super Bowl backpacks when their team does not even make the playoffs [Bengals’ Joseph charged with marijuana possession].

3. Chris Henry of the Cincinnati Bengals will serve 2 days in jail for allowing minors to drink in his hotel room. After being arrested 3 times prior to this incident, this will be the first time that Henry actually serves any jail time [WR Henry jailed for two days].

The Bengals need to start listening to their leader, Carson Palmer. He is quoted as saying, “If it doesn’t stop, we’re not going to have any fans left, and I don’t blame them. It’s ridiculous.” I joke about it on this website, but it really is a sad fact that so many members of a single organization cannot keep their names out of the news for all the wrong reasons.

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.