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 “Smuggled Goods”
Is it fair? That’s a philosophical question and the Clarence Darrow in me says “no.”
That said, whenever you have “Cuba” and “purported drug trafficker” within the same charge, you’re just begging a federal court to throw the book at you.
He knew what he was doing and what the risks were. As the saying goes, caveat emptor.
This is quite delayed; however I have just stumbled across this blog and would like to comment. Gustavo "Gus" Dominguez (as he has been called in the media) is my father, and my family and I have had to deal with the ignorant comments others have made about this case. There were a number of issues brought up during the trial that have conveniently not been reported but have been discussed in detail by Michael Lewis in an article written for Vanity Fair. He notes the injustices throughout the trial and ends the article with the conclusion that he believes my father did not commit the crime he was alleged to have committed. My father was a scapegoat so that the government could "prove" that they were doing something about the immigration situation in this country. Although I respect everyone's right to free speech (which is, ironically, one of the reasons my father and his parents left Cuba), I would like to ask that before somebody posts their "opinion" about others, they at least have some knowledge of the situation, and not just purport to.
Desiree:
Reporting a conviction is not making an \”ignorant comment,\” in my opinion. I left my opinion out of the article and asked for others to leave their thoughts.