Categories
Headline Sports Law

Baltimore Law’s 2011 Pro Sports Symposium

What: University of Baltimore School of Law 2011 Pro Sports Symposium

When: Thursday, February 10, 2011 (10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.)

Where: Venable Baetjer Howard Moot Court Room at the Angelos Law Center (map)

Agenda:

9:30 – 10 am
Registration
Continental breakfast will be served for attendees in the lobby of the law center.

10-10:45 am
Welcome remarks

  • Phillip J. Closius, Dean, University of Baltimore School of Law

Implementing the NBA’s Salary Cap and Collective Bargaining Agreement

  • Andre Walters, J.D. ’05, Senior director of legal affairs, Charlotte Bobcats
  • Michael Winger, Assistant general manager/legal and administration, Oklahoma City Thunder

10:45 am – 12 pm
Negotiating Professional Football’s Collective Bargaining Agreement

  • Richard Berthelsen, General counsel, National Football League Players’ Association
  • Dennis Curran, Senior vice president and general counsel, National Football League

12 – 1:15 pm
Lunch
Lunch will be served for attendees.

Luncheon Speaker
Managing a Professional Baseball Team in the Free Agency Era

  • Andy MacPhail, President of baseball operations, Baltimore Orioles

1:15 – 1:30 pm
Break

1:30 – 3 pm
The Many Facets of a Professional Football Team
Influential sports agent and UB Law alumnus Tom Condon, J.D. ’81, will be joined by Will Witherspoon, linebacker for the Tennessee Titans, and other panelists involved in the day-to-day negotiations and operations of professional football teams for this discussion.

Cost: Free (RSVP)

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.