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2013 Jeffrey S. Moorad Sports Law Journal Symposium

Concsymp-final

What: Villanova University School of Law’s 2013 Jeffrey S. Moorad Sports Law Journal Symposium – Concussion Conundrum

When: Friday, March 15, 2013

Where: The Jeffrey S. Moorad Center for the Study of Sports Law at Villanova University School of Law

Overview

On Friday, March 15, just weeks before the NFL Concussion Injury Litigation goes to trial in Philadelphia, the 2013 Jeffrey S. Moorad Sports Law Journal Symposium tackles the key issues facing players, teams, leagues, doctors, and lawyers regarding head injuries and brain trauma in sports.  Andrew Brandt, Director of the Jeffrey S. Moorad Center for the Study of Sports Law and NFL Business Analyst, will moderate all panels.  The following schedule is also available here.

Schedule

Panel 1: Framing the Issue

The Symposium will begin with a conversation between Andrew Brandt and former athletes, including some that have taken strong and public positions about concussions in sports. Brandt and the players will discuss concussion awareness, prevention and treatment from their playing days as well as their view of the present environment.

  • Brian Westbrook, former player for the Philadelphia Eagles
  • Keith Primeau, former player for the Philadelphia Flyers and founder of www.stopconcussions.com
  • Jim Nelson, former player for the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Indianapolis Colts, and Baltimore Ravens
  • Taylor Twellman, former Major League Soccer player and current ESPN analyst and concussions commentator

Panel 2: Building the Case— A Legal and Medical Background of Concussions

This panel will explore liability issues of amateur and professional sports and bring a medical perspective to diagnosis and treatment of concussions.  It will also feature a perspective of a Villanova Law Student who has written about and experienced the effects of concussions in her and her family’s life.

  • Marc Edelman, Associate Professor of Law, Barry University
  • Dr. Michael Marino, MD, Attending Physician at Drucker Brain Injury Center
  • Cailyn Reilly, current student at Villanova University School of Law

Panel 3: Concussion Injury Litigation v. NFL: Looking at Both Sides

This panel will explore the key arguments of the case against the NFL featuring one of the lawyers representing the players, Sol Weiss, a class action defense lawyer and the founder of the definitive Internet site on concussion litigation.  It will be a balanced and in-depth look at the major issues of this key case in sports right now.

  • J. Gordon Cooney, Jr. ’84 VLS, Partner at Morgan Lewis, expert on the defense of class actions suits
  • Sol Weiss ’72 VLS, Shareholder at Anapol Schwartz, Co-lead Counsel in NFL Concussion Injury Litigation
  • Paul D. Anderson, Practicing attorney and creator of www.NFLConcussionLitigation.com

Panel 4: What‘s Next?: Parents, Media, Administrators, and Scholars Look Ahead

This panel will feature media personalities such as Roger Cossack and Ashley Fox of ESPN who, along with Brandt, will look at the state of the sport of football in light of concussions, whether parents should let their kids play, and where the NFL will be in 20 years.

  • Roger Cossack, Legal Analyst, ESPN / CNN
  • Ashley Fox, NFL Columnist, ESPN
  • Peter Keating, Senior Writer, ESPN Magazine
  • Taylor Twellman, ESPN Soccer Analyst

Cost: Free for all unless you want CLE credit.  For CLE credit, the cost is $75.  Register here.

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.