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Gary Uberstine Has Had A Very Productive Week

On April 15, 2008, I wrote about a merger that had a large impact on the world of coach representation.  Stinson Morrison Hecker, one of the largest U.S. law firms, combined its Coaching division with Premier Sports Management’s Coaching division, to create Premier Stinson Sports.  The first three coach names that I mentioned in the post were Pete Carroll, Lane Kiffin, and Ed Orgeron, all former Premier Sports Management (now Premier Stinson Sports) clients.  Interestingly, those three names made a lot of headlines this week (Carroll leaving USC, Kiffin and Orgeron heading to USC).  You better believe that the men behind Premier Stinson were very busy.  This is especially true concerning Gary Uberstine, who created Premier Sports Management and heads Premier Stinson’s Santa Monica Office.

As reported by TrojanWire,

He was also indirectly involved in the Jack Del Rio negotiations even though he doesn’t directly represent him. Once negotiations broke down with Del Rio Monday evening, Uberstine and his coaching clientele were USC’s fall back option.

Premier Stinson represents so many talented coaches including the names listed, along with guys like Roy Williams and Rich Maloney (Michigan).  If TrojanWire’s scoop is true, Uberstine even tries to help out people he does not have under contract.  He was busy pushing his own clients and also throwing a bone to Del Rio.  At least he put his clients in a great position for when Del Rio declined any USC offer.

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.