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2010 Spring Sports Law Symposium at Harvard Law School

What: Spring 2010 Harvard Sports Law Symposium

When: Friday, March 26, 2010 (12 p.m. – 8 p.m.)

Where: Pound Hall at Harvard Law School (map)

Cost: Free (my favorite price)

The theme for the symposium is “Operating in the Shadow of Upcoming Collective Bargaining Negotiations.”  Each of the panels and the keynote address will shed light on the key issues facing each league as it approaches the expiration of its collective bargaining agreement.  In addition to discussing the key issues that will need to be resolved to avoid a labor stoppage in each league, the symposium will explore how the labor uncertainty is affecting current operations within each league, and how any sort of a labor stoppage might affect the short-term and long-term interests of each league.  In exploring each of these issues, the participants will draw from their varied backgrounds to fully understand what is at stake for the leagues, teams, unions, players, and other entities close to the game.  The agenda seems to mirror that of the 2010 UF Sports Law Symposium.

Schedule:

Sports Legacy Institute Kickoff Luncheon (12:00-1:00 – Pound 334/335)

  • Chris Nowinski, President and CEO, Sports Legacy Institute
  • Sean Morey, Arizona Cardinals
  • Isaiah Kacyvenski, Retired NFL Player
  • Christian Fauria, Retired NFL Player
  • George Atallah, Assistant Executive Director for External Affairs, NFLPA
  • Moderator: Professor Peter Carfagna, Harvard Law School

NFL (1:15-2:30 – Pound 101)

  • Adolpho Birch, Vice President of Law and Labor Policy, NFL
  • David Feher, Partner, Dewey & LeBoeuf
  • Neil Cornrich, President, NC Sports
  • Sarah Stuart, Senior Counsel, Reebok
  • Moderator: Professor Michael McCann, Vermont Law School

NBA (2:45-4:00 – Pound 101)

  • Jeffrey Mishkin, Partner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
  • Hal Biagas, Executive Vice President of Management, Wasserman Media Group
  • Michael Zarren, Assistant General Manager and Team Counsel, Boston Celtics
  • Matthew Hong, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Turner Sports
  • Robert Tilliss, CEO, Inner Circle Sports
  • Moderator: Professor Peter Carfagna, Harvard Law School

Keynote (4:15-4:45 – Pound 101)

  • Robert Manfred, Executive Vice President for Labor Relations, MLB

MLB (5:00-6:15 – Pound 101)

  • Daniel Halem, Senior Vice President, General Counsel for Labor, MLB
  • Derek Jackson, Vice President and General Counsel, Florida Marlins
  • David Prouty, Chief Labor Counsel, MLBPA
  • Timothy Slavin, Assistant General Counsel, MLBPA
  • Joseph Rosen, Partner, Brown & Rosen
  • Moderator: Jimmy Golen, Associated Press

Reception (6:30 – 8:00 – Austin West Rotunda)

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.