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Dynasty Athlete Representation

UF student heads up, co–founds sports managing agency

I was thoroughly honored to have my name and the name of Dynasty Athlete Representation in YOUNG MONEY magazine earlier this week.  It truly shows just how far Dynasty has come in such a short amount of time.  But today, I woke up and have not been able to smiling since.  I don’t know what it is, but there is something very special about having a write-up based on you and your company in your school’s newspaper.  I attended the University of Florida for four years as an undergrad, earning a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science with Minors in Mass Communications and Geography (very applicable to sports agency, right?) and am currently in my second year as a law student at UF.  Us undergrad/post-grad Gators call ourselves “Double Gators”.  We bleed orange and blue and truly love everything about the Gator Nation.  Maybe that is why I am so excited about today’s story in the Independent Florida Alligator (UF’s main newspaper): UF student heads up, co–founds sports managing agency.

Not only were myself and Dynasty featured in the paper, but I have to truly thank David Cumming, who painted an amazing picture of what Dynasty and I embody.  He found the YOUNG MONEY article and contacted me on Tuesday to set up the interview, which took place late afternoon yesterday.  In a short turnaround time, he was able to write the piece, which I cannot wait to look back to many years down the line.  One of my goals with Dynasty is to create a strong foundation of clients in the state of Florida, but more specifically, UF.  Hopefully, this article in the Alligator is a start at getting our name out to the university that I love.

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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