The sports track prepares students to represent professional or amateur athletes, leagues or clubs, sports venues and stadium owners and operators, or businesses or sports organizations.
The sports industry is complex and there is a growing demand for qualified sports law professionals with an array of expertise in law.
Topics and courses that were once thought to relate exclusively to entertainment or art can also affect the sports sphere—sports personalities can have brand sponsorships, parts in films or TV shows, their likeness branded in video games or clothing, and more.
Studying under the entertainment, arts and sports law umbrella, it is possible to get the broad range of skills necessary for today’s “sports law” practice and provides U.S. and international attorneys and law students superior training and an edge when breaking into this competitive industry.
Though “sports law” may sound niche, it is actually a broad industry crossing many areas of law.
Sports lawyers usually require skills like negotiation, drafting, and arbitration plus knowledge of various areas of law including: contracts, labor, antitrust, tax, intellectual property and media law.
Other areas of law, like immigration, can also come into play for foreign athletes and international leagues or clubs.
A strong tradition of sports law at the University of Miami
The LL.M. is two semesters consisting of required and elective courses, and a practicum. All courses are taught by Law School faculty and prominent practicing attorneys.
The blended nature of the LL.M. enables students to maximize their studies and create a curriculum to match individual professional interests.
Surveys antitrust, labor (collective bargaining, arbitration), publicity/privacy rights, and anti-discrimination law with a focus on the laws governing professional and collegiate leagues, teams and athletes.
Negotiation and Drafting Sports Venue Agreements
Provides the opportunity to negotiate and draft complex agreements and deal documents (stadium leases, naming rights, sponsorships, media rights, concerts, etc.).
Purchase and Sale of a Minor League Baseball Team
Provides opportunity to conduct negotiation and drafting sessions in the role of the attorney for the Franchise Seller/Purchaser resulting in final agreement and closing.
Copyright Law
Addresses the legal protection provided under the Copyright Act of 1976 (and subsequent amendments) for artistic, musical and literary works (including computer programs).
Trademark Law
Introduces U.S. law for trademarks, service marks and trade dress; also covers related state and common law doctrines and relevant international agreements.
Practicum
Affords students the opportunity for additional training in the workplace. Placements have included: Roc Nation, NBC Sports, Charlotte Hornets, Minnesota Vikings, Legends, & Sony Music.
Name, Image & Likeness (NIL) in College Athletics
E-Sports
The Business of Sports: The View from the Front Office
Bidding For & Hosting Major Events
Investing in Sports: From Private Equity and Venture Capital to Emerging Industry Trends
Intellectual Property in Digital Media
International Sports Arbitration
Music Law
Fashion Law
Cultural Property and Antiquities Trafficking: Importation Laws and Border Enforcement
Introduction to TV, Legal and Business Affairs
Negotiating and Drafting for the Business of Entertainment
Union Organizing and Collective Bargaining in the Entertainment Industry
Intellectual Property: Transactions and Litigation
Business, Entertainment & Sports Immigration Law
Sneaker Law
Sports, Ethics, Morality and the Law
Media Distribution
Media Law
Music Festivals, Live Concerts & other Live Productions
NFTs: Legal and Business Considerations
Playbook for Leadership & the Law
Social Media and Online Liability
Sports Betting and Regulation
Vimeo, Twitter and YouTube: Online Liability and Net Neutrality
Women in Professional Sport: A Legal, Social & Business Analysis
LIV Golf, the PGA Tour and the Future of Professional Golf
Player Licensing and International Games (In London)
Chat ENT: AI's Impact on Entertainment, Arts and Sports
Blank Space: IP Law Through the Lens of Taylor Swift
International Students Who Plan to Take the NY Bar
International students have the option to do a special course of study in the LL.M. in Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law to accumulate enough credits to comply with the State Board of Law Examiners’ requirements to qualify to sit for the New York Bar Exam.
These students still complete the LL.M. in the same two-semester period and earn the same degree.
If an international student does not want to take the NY bar or wants to take additional courses, they can fulfill the credit requirement by enrolling in EASL electives of their choosing.
Miami International Autodrome (Formula 1 Track) and Hard Rock Stadium
Miami and South Florida are home to all major professional sports franchises in baseball, football, basketball, hockey, Formula 1, and soccer. The city also hosts major events and championships each year. Top-rated tennis players come to the prestigious Miami Open, and since 1935 the city has hosted one of the largest college bowl games – The Orange Bowl.
Only 20 miles south of the law school is Homestead-Miami Speedway, one of the leading venues on the NASCAR circuit. There is also the Polo World Cup featuring international teams which is held on Miami Beach. All this enables students to participate in site visits with general counsels and access opportunities for their practicum requirements.
International Study Options
Global Sports and Entertainment Law Course(Madrid, Spain) - Offered in conjunction with the Madrid-based Instituto Superior de Derecho y Economía (ISDE), a leader in legal education, Miami Law offers a course for law students and professionals who are interested in broadening their understanding of the global sports and entertainment industries.
Comparative Sports Law(Florence, Italy) - Offered in conjunction with the University of Florence, the program focuses on the challenges and duties of an agent/attorney by addressing critical legal doctrines related to athlete representation, intellectual property law, labor law, and contract law.
Leadership & Faculty
Track Directors
Peter Carfagnais aCo-Director of the Sports Law Track and is Chairman/CEO of Magis, LLC, a privately owned sports marketing, management and investment company, including family ownership of the Lake County Captains, Cleveland Indians Class A Affiliate. He also served as Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel of International Management Group (IMG) - world's premier and most diversified sports, entertainment and media company. Before that he was Senior Partner at Jones Day LLP where he worked as outside counsel to the Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Cavaliers’ ownership groups.
Patricia White, Professor of Law,is a Co-Director of the Sports Law Track, served as tax advisor to the Economic Study Committee of Major League Baseball, and advises for the Sports Law track of the program. She has also served on the NCAA Compliance Committee for the University of Utah
Faculty
Kenneth Anand is the author and co-founder of SNEAKER LAW. He was Head of Business Development & General Counsel of YEEZY Apparel, a fashion and design company owned and operated by Kanye West.
Andrew Brandt is a nationally-recognized accomplished sports executive now bringing his credibility and unique insight and perspective to academia and the media and is is Professor of Practice and Executive Director of the Moorad Center for the Study of Sports Law at Villanova Law School.
Charles Bakeris Partner and Co-Chair of the Entertainment Sports and Media Industry Group at Sidley Austin LLP.
Jared Goldstein is author and co-founder of SNEAKER LAW. Goldstein teaches and regularly lectures at universities, law schools, and various organizations about the sneaker business. He is also Legal Counsel at LiveIntent, an ad-tech and marketing company.
Terri Jacksonis the Executive Director of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association, WNBAPA.
Michael Kelly practiced antitrust law in the Washington, D.C. Office of MorganLewis for thirty years, where his antitrust clients included some of the world's leaders in the industries of professional sports, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, consumer electronics, and energy.
Steve Krasue serves as outside General Counsel and advisory board member to a select group of exceptional startups, including Dapper Labs - creators of NBA Top Shot®, CryptoKitties®, and the Flow™ Blockchain.
Myles Pistorious is Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Miami Dolphins.
Irwin Raij is Partner and Co-Chair of the Entertainment Sports and Media Industry Group at Sidley Austin LLP.
Marc Trestman is Former NFL, CFL, and XFL Head Coach.
Daniel Wallach is Founder of Wallach, LLC. a law firm devoted exclusively to the burgeoning field of sports wagering and gaming law in the United States.
Krista Whitaker is the Vice President, Associate General Counsel at The Heat Group.
The Sports Track Committee provides advice as it relates to curriculum, guest speakers and practicum opportunities students should be seeking based on industry trends. Members include:
Mason Ashe, Founder and CEO, Ashe Sports & Entertainment Consulting, Inc.
Charles Baker, Partner and Co-Chair of the Entertainment Sports and Media Industry Group at Sidley Austin LLP
