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.
What are your rights if you wish to become licensed by a players’ association and the union rejects your application? Sometimes there is hope. Other times, not so much. I had the honor of representing Cleodis Floyd in an arbitration matter against the NFL Players Association roughly a decade ago after the NFLPA denied Floyd’s […]
Every so often, I log in to Neil Stratton’s Inside The League website to check in on the latest news and rumors in the football business. Today, I decided to do just that and I was surprised by a new “phenomenon” that Stratton says is “concerning” with regard to signing NFL prospects. Stratton says that […]
Sports agent David Falk’s agency F.A.M.E. LLC, which conducts business as Falk Associates Management Enterprises and FAME, has initiated a lawsuit against former NBA player Evan Turner as well as his owned corporate entity EmTurn LLC. The Complaint filed in the Superior Court of Delaware includes causes of action for breach of contract, unjust enrichment, […]
Providence Equity is in as an investor and Redbird Capital as well as Madrone Capital are cashing out. Brendan Coffey at Sportico had the coverage yesterday, and it was supposedly a big buyout. Per Coffey, RedBird was believed to have purchased a 30% to 40% stake in Wasserman in 2020, and Madrone, the family office […]
Excel Sports Management is launching a Coaching and Executives division and has acquired football coaching and sports broadcasting representation agency Harlan Sports Management to provide it some staff support and clientele right away. Over twenty head football coaches at the NFL and NCAA level, as well as front office executives, are now Excel clients. The […]
Remember the lawsuit that Nerlens Noel filed against Rich Paul and Klutch Sports Group a little over a year ago? You know, the one where Noel claimed that Paul interfered with his preexisting relationship with agent Happy Walters, promised Noel that he was a “$100 million man,” told Noel not to accept a $70 million […]
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley, who is suspended for the 2022 NFL season after being found to have gambled on games in 2021, has made a change in representation. Ridley was previously represented by SportsTrust Advisors, going back to when he was selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. However, the […]
Vanguard Sports Group Adds Veteran Agents. Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Raleigh-based Vanguard Sports Group has added to its football division by bringing in veteran NFLPA Contract Advisors Tony Paige and Chitta Malik, who had co-founded agency Dream Point Sports. Those two agents will assist with the football operations at Vanguard and add many NFL clients […]
You never want a court to conclude that you committed fraud. But that is exactly what is said about a prominent NFL agent in the middle of a newly released decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. According to the Court, perhaps the “easiest conclusion” in the case, “even under […]
On August 3, many professional golfers, including Phil Mickelson, Talor Gooch, and Bryson DeChambeau, filed a Complaint, in federal court, against the PGA Tour. It largely reads like a lawsuit filed to provide relief to LIV Golf, which is upset that the PGA Tour has taken measures to dissuade golfers from playing in the new […]