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Dynasty Athlete Representation

Leatherman Shines

In the top half of the sixth inning, the Hagerstown Suns (A) were losing 4-3 against the Lake County Captains (A), with Suns starting pitcher, Colton Willems, still on the mound.  The Captains looked to be in position to pull away when Dan Leatherman was put into the game to offer some relief.  From the sixth to eighth inning, Leatherman gave up no runs, struck out three batters, and only gave up one hit to the opposition.  In his three inning performance, he only faced a total of nine batters.  The Suns added a run in the seventh and then received a walk-off, ninth inning home run from SS Dan Lyons to give the team a big victory.  Kyle Gunderson pitched in the ninth and was credited with the win.

After his strong three inning performance, Leatherman has pushed his ERA down to 2.08, which is the lowest ERA on Hagerstown among pitchers who have thrown for more than one inning of work.  He has pitched in four games for a total of 8.2 innings.  Leatherman has not given up a single walk and has struck out 12 in the meantime.  The opposition is posting a meager .179 AVG when Leatherman is on the mound.

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.