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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4 replies on “NBA Draft Day Links”
[…] Leon Rose. Some say that Leon Rose is a name that we are now familiar with due to William Wesley [NBA Draft Day Links]. No matter how Leon rose (pun intended) to his current status, Buck was not going to miss the […]
[…] look no further than his buddy, Vaccaro. If Vaccaro is now out of the game, that should mean that William Wesley will have even more influence in the […]
Does anybody have any idea why William Wesley holds so much power in the industry? I can’t figure out how he can sway high profile players like LeBron to choose certain agents, go to certain schools, and choose companies for endorsements. Does he collect paychecks from agents, companies, and coaches of colleges?
The key with Wesley is that he is smart enough to gain the trust of key business people (such as Lynn Merrit aka head of Nike Basketball) as well as is friendly enough with key figures (see: Michael Jordan/Jay-Z) to gain the trust of a lot of the younger players and their families. It’s kind of the mentallity of “well, if MJ can trust him…” As well, he makes sure to be at every key grass roots event. He’s the networker of networkers. If there’s a new player on the scene, he wants to be the first to meet the player and the key people that surround him. He has the most powerful shoe company in the world, the last generations best basketball player, and the next generations best basketball player on his side. If you want some insight on how Wes operates read this True Hoop entry:
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-20-153/Gregory-Dole–My-Summer-with-William-Wesley.html
Also, I met Wesley in 2006 at the NCAA tournament in Oakland. I had an opportunity to sit down and talk to him and Lynn Merrit a bit while I was there.
http://jonesonthenba.blogspot.com/2006/06/pre-draft-monday.html
That conversation a long with the many others I have had with key sports business folks over the years has tought me sooo much about the business. Although I still have some disdain for Wesley because of the way he is not transparent in what he does and because of the way he assisted in having LeBron leave Aaron Goodwin for Leon Rose, I have to respect him for his relentless networking. He’s a lot more intelligent than I first thought.