Stephen Amdur  joined the team at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP in February 2026.

With capabilities spanning the full spectrum of sports matters, Latham & Watkins acts for a wide range of industry stakeholders, including leagues, teams, and financial institutions. The team is an established port of call for both transactional and contentious mandates, spanning league governance, strategic investments, and media rights agreements. Based in California, the firm has a strong book of work acting on antitrust litigation, exemplified through its representation of the ACC in class actions challenging NCAA rules on student-athlete benefits and compensation. Practice head Adam J. Sullins’ portfolio of work covers team ownership transactions and media rights deals. Kendall Johnson handles a diverse client base of rights holders and financial institutions, while Christopher Yates  oversees matters related to tennis, motorsports, and soccer. The practice also benefits from the broad expertise of Sam Lehman, who has extensive experience handling M&A transactions and IP licensing agreements.

Operating ‘comfortably at the intersection of governance, investigations, disputes, and global regulation’, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP acts for a variety of high-profile organizations in the sports industry, from global governing bodies and leagues to financial institutions entering the sector. The New York-based team is relied upon for its full-service offering, regularly receiving repeat instructions from clients across both transactional and contentious matters. Recent highlights for the group includes a slew of instructions from FIFA concerning antitrust and corruption disputes. Experienced litigator Lynn Bayard is a recognized authority for leagues on player health and safety. Matthew Abbott has considerable experience guiding clients through strategic investments in sports teams. Chris Boehning maintains a strong book of work representing organizations and individuals in high-stakes litigation and arbitration, while Benjamin Goodchild‘s expertise spans both M&A and real estate transactions. Marco Masotti has an established practice assisting private equity and capital funds in their sports-related investments.

Winston Taylor houses a team of lawyers capable of handling a diverse client base of athletes, leagues, and player associations navigate complex and high-profile litigations and transactions. Operating out of New York, the firm is an established port of call for contentious mandates, guiding clients through arbitration proceedings and cases that reach the Supreme Court. Representative work demonstrating this expertise includes representing former college athletes in antitrust litigation against the NCAA. The group is jointly led by David Feher, a go-to lawyer for player salary matters; Jeffrey Kessler, who routinely guides players, player unions, and agencies through landmark disputes; and David Greenspan, who is well acquainted with the intricacies of antitrust litigation. Jonathan Amoona is sought after by sports agents and agencies on both contentious and transactional matters, while Alan Hoffman leads the sports financing offering. Adam Dale continues to support players' associations across baseball, basketball, and football.

ArentFox Schiff possess a ‘wide breadth of experts across all areas’ of the sports industry, regularly receiving instructions from a slew teams, sporting bodies, and media organisations. The practice covers a myriad of transactional mandates spanning private equity investments, stadium developments, and sponsorship agreements. The team has brought this transactional expertise to bear recently acting for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Tampa Bay Rays in their recent acquisitions. The practice is jointly led by Richard Brand, who operates out of San Francisco and holds a strong book of work for an array of leagues and teams, and Eric Fishman, who fronts the firm’s offering on sports-related private equity investments from New York. Also in San Francisco is Zak Welsh, who’s capabilities span sponsorship, media rights, and M&A matters, while areas of expertise for Boston-based Wesley Gee include negotiating leases and naming rights agreements for stadia.

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP offers a strong sports practice, leveraging its M&A and private equity expertise to guide a broad range of funds, financial institutions, and team owners through high-value transactions. The practice has amassed considerable experience advising on deals involving franchises across the major leagues. Notable work includes advising Mark Walter on his acquisition of a majority stake in the Los Angeles Lakers. New York–based Jon H Oram, recruited from Proskauer Rose LLP in November 2025 to lead the team, is a recognized authority on sports financing in both domestic and global markets. Also based in New York, Michael Senders has a transactional practice encompassing mandates from broadcasters, teams, and investors.

DLA Piper LLP (US) houses a team of lawyers well-versed in the full spectrum of sports-related transactions, encompassing private equity, debt financing, and stadium developments. The practice is an established port of call for leagues, teams, and financial institutions. Recent highlights include guiding the San Francisco 49ers through multiple minority equity investments. Practice chief Richard Rubano has considerable experience assisting both buyers and sellers through high-value transactions. Alexander Steinberg has a strong portfolio advising on joint ventures, sponsorship agreements, and licensing arrangements. Out of the Reston office, Mark Whitaker advises a client base spanning major leagues domestically and across Europe. Jennifer Dinsmore, based in Baltimore, focuses on stadium and team financing, while Alexander Meiseles is highly skilled at advising startups on corporate governance and financing matters. All other lawyers are based in New York unless otherwise stated.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP assembles a robust sports offering, leveraging its broader transactional expertise to advise a wide array of professional sports franchises and leagues. Representative work includes guiding clients through acquisitions, joint ventures, and IP disputes. The practice’s expertise in transactional sports mandates is highlighted by its recent work acting for Sixth Street in the purchase of a minority interest in the New England Patriots. Frank Saviano, who joined the firm from Latham & Watkins in September 2025, advises a deep roster of private capital firms and financial institutions. Fellow recruit Jason Krochak, recruited from Proskauer Rose LLP in October 2025, has significant experience assisting on a wide range of transactions, including media rights agreements, joint ventures, and league expansions.

Sidley Austin LLP leverages its broader corporate and M&A expertise to handle a wide array of high-value sports-related transactions, from franchise acquisitions to the development of multi-use arenas. The multi-disciplinary team is frequently sought after by a diverse roster of clients, including leagues, governing bodies, and private equity funds. The leadership team includes Charles Baker in New York, Irwin Raij in Miami, Rollin A. Ransom in Los Angeles, and Matthew C. Thompson and Eric Geffner in Century City. Baker regularly advises franchise owners across multiple major leagues, including the NFL, MLB, and NBA. Raij is well-versed in the intricacies of stadium development for both professional and college teams, while Ransom’s disputes expertise spans IP and antitrust matters. Thompson advises a broad spectrum of media companies, and Geffner has considerable experience advising professional sports and e-sports teams on financing, sponsorship, and licensing deals.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP‘s sports practice spans a variety of practice areas, with extensive experience across antitrust, intellectual property, and equity financing mandates. With experience across a range of different sports, the New York-based practice acts for an array of major leagues, rightsholders, and media companies. The team is co-led by Anthony Dreyer, who is well-versed with the intricacies of intellectual property and licensing disputes across a wide range of sports, and Karen Lent, who is sought after for her antitrust expertise by a plethora of major leagues. Thaddeus Hartmann handles a steady stream of acquisitions related to media rights and team ownership, while Matthew Martino has a mixed transactional and contentious practice. Michael Menitove‘s experience encompasses both litigation and arbitration proceedings.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP maintains a robust sports practice capable of representing high-profile sports institutions, from major league teams, to college athletic programs and sports broadcasters. Leveraging their broad expertise in private equity and M&A transactions, the group is geared to handle high-value sports-related acquisitions. Experienced trial attorney Andrew Tulumello‘s portfolio of work covers antitrust, false advertising, and pay disputes. In New York, Yehudah Buchweitz has an established practice handling litigation for major league players unions. Steve Argeris leads the firm’s sports transactional practice, frequently engaged to advise on minority investments, naming rights deals, and sponsorship agreements, while Arianna Scavetti is a recognized authority on athlete health and wellbeing. All lawyers are based in Washington DC unless stated otherwise.

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner offers a strong sports practice, representing a wide array of sports governing bodies and teams on both contentious and transactional mandates. The team has extensive experience in the sponsorship space, advising on a variety of naming rights deals for clubs and multinational corporations. The practice is jointly led by Ryan Davis in St. Louis, who leads the group’s M&A and media rights work, and Steve Smith, who brings his experience to bear on a wide range of mandates concerning the Olympics and Paralympics. Richard Young is a recognized authority on anti-doping matters, while Suzanne Crespo has considerable experience in both litigation and arbitration proceedings. All lawyers mentioned are based in Colorado Springs unless otherwise stated.

Katten is equipped to handle a broad range of mandates across the sports sector, spanning equity investments, media rights agreements, and stadium construction. Leveraging their multi-disciplinary expertise, the team acts for major league franchises, private equity funds, and broadcasters. The practice is co-led by Adam Klein and Daniel Render, both established points of contact for structuring team acquisitions and sponsorship agreements. Jason Gorczynski has considerable experience advising across the full lifecycle of stadium developments, while Josh Lewis has a strong portfolio handling the full spectrum of corporate mandates for sports franchises. All mentioned lawyers are based in the Chicago office.

Loeb & Loeb LLP has expertise spanning the full spectrum of sports sector mandates and is sought after by a diverse client base of governing bodies, teams, and athletes. The firm is active across all sports verticals, with team acquisitions, sponsorship agreements, and stadium development all falling under the unit’s purview. The practice is co-led by Arash Khalili in Los Angeles, who is well acquainted with the intricacies of athlete endorsement deals, and experienced transactional attorney Brian Socolow, who operates out of Washington DC. Negotiating sponsorship agreements is the cornerstone of Chicago-based Brian Heidelberger’s practice, while Douglas Masters, who also works out of the Chicago office, regularly handles litigation concerning IP, advertising, and antitrust disputes.

McDermott Will & Schulte holds a strong book of work across a wide array of practice areas, ranging from advising on high-value transactions to structuring sponsorship agreements. Leveraging their broad expertise across the industry, the team acts for a deep roster of athletes, governing bodies, and private investors. Leadership responsibilities are split between Thomas Conagahan and Alexei Cowett in Washington DC, who focus on transactional and corporate governance mandates, respectively, and Los Angeles-based Maria Rodriguez, who is well acquainted with the intricacies of employment disputes. Julie Kwon, based in San Francisco, regularly guides clients through the tax aspects of high-value transactions.

Boasting a multi-disciplinary offering capable of advising on both transactional and contentious issues, Perkins Coie LLP are regularly called upon by a deep roster of clients spanning major league teams, college athletic programs, and sports tech companies. The firm continues to advise both broadcasters and streaming platforms on high-value media rights agreements. In New York, Shirin Malkani has a strong track record advising start-up leagues and major league franchises on media and governance issues. Seattle-based Kirk Soderquist fronts the firm’s IP offering, with regular instructions on sponsorship matters, while Nicola Menaldo, who is also operates out of Seattle, has an established practice handling tech and privacy mandates.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP houses a team of lawyers well versed in the full spectrum of sporting mandates. From high-value team acquisitions to high-profile IP disputes, the team acts for a broad range of broadcasters, financial institutions, and major league franchises. The leadership group consists of William Sullivan in New York, Noa Clark in San Francisco, and Los Angeles-based James Rishwain. Amdur possesses extensive experience advising funds, sports teams, and investors on major sports M&A deals. Clark is a recognized authority on matters involving Major League Baseball, while Sullivan has amassed considerable experience advising teams and athletes in investigations and civil litigation. Rishwain leads the practice’s real estate offering.

With a portfolio encompassing high-profile litigation in both professional sports and college athletics, Wilkinson Stekloff stands out for its expertise in high-stakes disputes. The group is well versed in an array of dispute types, including antitrust and health and safety matters. Standout work includes representing the NCAA in the settlement of the highly consequential name, image, and likeness class action suit. The practice is co-led by Beth Wilkinson, who is sought after by a range of leagues, governing bodies, and regulators, and experienced antitrust litigator Brian Stekloff. Rakesh Kilaru is praised for his ‘ability to achieve outstanding results for his clients’ and is regularly supported by Cali Arat. All lawyers mentioned are based in Washington DC.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP fields a multidisciplinary sports practice capable of advising across a broad spectrum of areas, including M&A, dispute resolution, and IP. The team’s vast industry expertise sees it receive instructions from leagues, brands, and broadcasters. The team is jointly led by Emily Huang, who specializes in advising on M&A and private equity transactions, and experienced litigator Zachary Saltzman. William H. Taft V has an established practice focusing on corporate governance litigation and international arbitration, while Megan Bannigan’s IP expertise spans trademark, copyright, and design patent issues. John Gleeson leverages his judicial background when handling a range of complex commercial and civil litigation matters. All lawyers mentioned are based in New York.

Eversheds Sutherland is well equipped to handle a myriad of sports-related mandates covering technology, sponsorship, and regulatory issues. The mixed contentious and transactional practice is called upon by a diverse client base of professional athletes, sports teams, and governing bodies. The practice is led by San Francisco-based Baird Fogel, an experienced transactional lawyer whose practice encompasses structuring team financing and negotiating commercial partnerships. Also based in San Francisco is Kristi Thielen, who is regularly called upon by both teams and athletes for her sponsorship expertise, while Anthony Del Giudice in Atlanta is routinely tasked by governing bodies with regulatory matters.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP's sports law practice group advises a wide range of clients across professional and amateur sports, from individual teams and sports facilities to television networks, sponsors, and municipalities. The team draws on the wider firm's experts across M&A, finance, antitrust, and litigation. Richard Birns and Stefan dePozsgay, in New York, co-head the practice with Los Angeles-based Maurice Suh, Birns is a go-to for corporate transactions, while Suh regularly handles litigation in the sector, and private equity investments are a key area of work for dePozsgay. Also recommended are Kevin Masuda, in LA, who regularly works with investment funds operating in the sports sector, and Matthew Schwartz, in New York, who brings expertise gained in-house.

Greenberg Traurig assembles a robust sports offering, capable of advising a deep roster of clients, including professional teams, colleges, and broadcasters. The group is well equipped to handle high-value projects and transactions, bringing experience to bear on an array of team acquisitions and stadium developments. The leadership team consists of Denis Braham, Steven Walkowiak, and Franklin Jones Jr. in Texas; New York–based Barbara Meili; and David Schulman in Atlanta. Braham routinely guides sports teams and governing bodies through stadium financing. Jones has extensive expertise coordinating the public finance aspects of stadium developments. Meili is an established point of contact for clients in the media and broadcast industry, while Schulman and Walkowiak lead the firm’s esports offering.

Herrick, Feinstein LLP offers a strong sports practice with capabilities spanning the full spectrum of transactional mandates, including corporate, real estate, and tax matters. The firm brings this transactional expertise to bear for a wide range of clients, from major league sports teams to financial institutions. The practice is co-chaired by the ‘extremely knowledgeable’ Irwin Kishner, who routinely guides clients through minority acquisitions of teams, and Daniel Etna, whose expertise in stadium matters spans both development and naming rights issues. Eric Stabler is an authority on the financing of sports franchises, while Liliana Chang leverages her corporate expertise to advise on minor league expansions and equity investments. All lawyers mentioned are based in New York.

O'Melveny assembles a robust sports practice capable of providing both contentious and transactional advice to a wide range of teams, governing bodies, and broadcasters. The team holds a strong book of work in stadium developments, partnership agreements, and college football disputes. The practice is led by Amy Siegel, who is frequently sought by sports governing bodies and multinational corporations on media rights and sponsorship matters. In New York, Ben Aronson has an established litigation practice spanning antitrust, IP, and arbitration proceedings. Tim Heafner has class action suits as a core part of his practice and handles matters involving college football programs and athletes. All lawyers mentioned are based in Los Angeles unless otherwise noted.

Sheppard fields a multidisciplinary sports practice capable of advising an array of teams, financial institutions, and governing bodies. Representative work for the group spans strategic investments in teams, employment disputes, and negotiating media rights agreements. The team is jointly led David Sunkin, in Century City, who acts for a range of major league franchise owners, and Brian Anderson, based in San Francisco, who has considerable experience handling capital raises, commercial partnerships, and technology agreements. Also based in Century City are Robert Darwell, who leads the practice’s sports media offering, and experienced trial attorney Adam Streisand.

Representing a deep roster of sports governing bodies, franchises, and leagues, Akin is well equipped to handle a broad range of matters encompassing both transactional and contentious elements. The team leverages its broader transactional expertise to advise on high-profile commercial partnerships and high-value acquisitions. The group’s leadership team consists of Randall Boe in New York, who represents private credit funds and family offices in franchise transactions, and esports specialist Chris Spicer, based in Los Angeles. Hunter Bates strengthens the firm’s government relations offering from Washington DC.

Cooley LLP handles a myriad of sports mandates spanning corporate, IP, and real estate issues. Leveraging their transactional and contentious expertise, the practice is sought after by a broad range of leagues, investors, and athletes. Leadership responsibilities are divided between Boston-based Michael Sheetz, an experienced antitrust litigator; David Young, who operates out of California and has an established practice supporting sports tech companies; and Adam Chase ,based in Washington DC, who routinely prepares and negotiates sponsorship and licensing agreements. Fellow Washington DC-based attorney Dennis Craig leads the firm’s transactional offering, receiving frequent instructions by venture capital and private equity funds.

Thompson Hine LLP houses a team of lawyers who specialize in the financing and construction of sports stadiums across the US. The practice acts for a diverse client base, including financial institutions and a variety of major league teams. The group is led by Alan Ritchie, who is adept at negotiating and drafting design and construction agreements for sports facilities, convention centers, and mixed-use projects. Jeffrey Appelbaum is well versed in both the transactional and contentious aspects of high-value construction projects, while Jack Clark is sought after for his extensive experience serving as project counsel on stadium and training facility developments. All lawyers mentioned are based in Ohio.

Vinson & Elkins LLP