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Agent Spotlight: Ron Shapiro

Ron ShapiroCombining a great understanding of sport with an impeccable intellect makes for quite a potentially successful agent. Baltimore, MD based Ron Shapiro embodies both elements as one of the most popular baseball agents who also happened to graduate cum laude from Harvard Law School. The USA Today and Sporting News have even thrown him some awards (“one of baseball’s most respected agent-attorneys,” and one of the “100 most powerful people in sports.”) for being at the top of the agent industry. Representing Cal Ripken, Jr., Jim Palmer, Brooks Robinson, Kirby Puckett, and Eddie Murray may have had something to do with Ron receiving those honors.

Not only has he taught at several institutions of higher education (including a couple of law schools), he has also authored over 20 law journal articles and is an author of brilliant negotiating books. His most famous work is The Power of Nice: How to Negotiate So Everyone Wins- Especially You! He hopes that The Power of Nice is eclipsed by his most recent published book, Dare to Prepare: How to Win Before You Begin, which was released earlier this month.

He really does not need me to help give his newest book some press. He has Oprah on his side. Oprah’s magazine, O, is considering running a feature on the book, which would lead to a sure spike in sales. Ron Shapiro is liked by Oprah, he has negotiated clients for some of the best professional athletes, and he has even has chaired over 25 boards of charitable and community organizations. What else has the man done? His selection for inclusion in the next edition of The Best Lawyers in America has to be somewhere near the top of his lengthy list of achievements. And I might as well throw out the fact that his son is Mark Shapiro (GM for the Cleveland Indians) and his son-in-law is Eric Mangini (head coach of the NY Jets).

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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