ChaseLawyers® is a “boutique” law firm specializing in sports law. Our Sports Law Attorneys are committed to protecting our clients’ rights, anticipating future problems, neutralizing unanticipated obstacles, and helping to clarify and achieve our clients’ goals. Our Sports Law Attorneys are equipped to handle a broad range of sports law issues including, but not limited to, athlete representation, endorsement and sponsorship deals, personality rights, endorsement agreements, book deals and sports memorabilia licensing.
Sports law is a fast growing area of law which requires special knowledge and insight on the key issues that arise in the world of sports. Athletes, coaches, managers, and agents all use Sports Law Attorneys to represent their interests in everything from contract negotiation matters to defamation suits. The complex nature of the sports law field requires Sports Law Attorneys to have expertise in a wide-range of areas of law in order to effectively represent and protect their clients’ interests. Sports law is a very expansive area of law as it encompasses an innumerable other areas such as contract, antitrust, labor, employment, tort, tax, intellectual property law and even criminal law. Because sports law overlaps with many other areas of law there is virtually no limit to the types of cases Sports Law Attorneys handle.
Under Federal Labor Law, athletes and team owners must negotiate mandatory issues like those relating to hours, wages, and working conditions, in good faith. As such, Athletic Contract Lawyers are needed to not only ensure compliance with Federal Labor Law but also to protect the interests of their clients. Since many athletes and sports figures are represented by agents who are entrusted to conduct business on their behalf, Sports Law Attorneys may be asked to evaluate the agent’s practices to ensure the agent is upholding their fiduciary duties.
As the sports industry has evolved, sports law and antitrust law have started to overlap even more. Antitrust law covers any laws intended to promote and regulate competition and enable our competitive economic system to function. Antitrust law has played a role in developing regulations, controls, and protections in the professional sports industry of today. Some of the major antitrust and labor relations acts regulating the sports industry include the Sherman Act of 1890, the Clayton Act of 1914, the Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914 and the National Labor Relations Act of 1935.
Athletic Contract Lawyers typically review athletic contracts to assess the legal exposure of their prospective deals and assist their clients in their decisions to ensure that their endorsement, merchandising and licensing decisions will positively impact their future success in the sports industry. Athletic Contract Lawyers will also negotiate all different types of agreements and advise on their compliance, implementation and ramifications. Furthermore, Sports Law Attorneys provide critical legal advice and representation to athletes who are considering signing endorsement deals or sports merchandising and licensing agreements.
Because of the popularity of sports in today’s society, athletes and coaches attract a great deal of publicity. Since an athlete’s name and image influence how successful they will be in their career, sports law necessarily involves the management and control of these valuable commodities. As such, it is absolutely necessary to maintain control over these elements to ensure both that they are not used without prior authorization and the athlete is compensated fairly for their use. When sports figures are approached by a company for an endorsement or sponsorship deal, it is necessary to consult a Sports Law Attorney who has with expertise in sports law who can tailor athlete endorsement deals and sponsorship contracts to suit the unique needs of each individual client. It is the lawyer’s job to negotiate and draft contracts that include compensation provisions and clauses related to sponsorship, product endorsement, public appearance and exclusivity.
Sports Law Attorneys are often needed to file suit against Organizations on behalf of amateur and professional athletes whose rights were violated under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Sex Discrimination, gender equality and sexual assault are among some of the issues that arise in the world of sports which undoubtedly require Sports Law Attorneys to intervene.
In the past couple of years there has been several prominent lawsuits and controversies in both amateur and professional sports based on gender equality, domestic violence and sexual assault. 
For example, in May 2015, New York Giants kicker Josh Brown was arrested in a domestic violence incident concerning his ex-wife, Molly Brown. Many would attribute Brown’s unscathed reputation and playing status at the start of the 2016 NFL season to the expertise and skill of his attorneys. In 2016, there were allegations of sexual assault by football players and deliberate inaction by school administrators in Waco Texas. Additionally, in 2017, the women’s national soccer team filed a federal wage discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging that they were not paid the same as their counterparts on the men’s national team.
Sports Law Attorneys also handle the intellectual property needs of their sports industry clients. Such services include registering trademark and copyrights, providing advice regarding a trademark licensor’s potential legal liability for defective equipment and defending copyright or trademark infringement suits. As a public figure or celebrity, an athlete’s identity has substantial financial value which therefore requires protection. When it comes to protecting personality rights there are a number of issues an attorney must be prepared to handle such as the creation and protection of “name and likeness” rights or the creation of favorable payment schedules.
At ChaseLawyers® we provide top-notch representation to the sports industry. Our attorneys have advised world famous athletes and leading sports organizations on their most demanding and complex matters. Our sports law practice offers a wide range of legal services to professional athletes, managers, sports agents, sports ownership groups, sponsors, intellectual property licensees and licensors. ChaseLawyers® experienced attorneys will help address all of your sports law issues by combining a business orientation, versatility, and deep knowledge of industry practices with multidisciplinary legal expertise.
The entertainment industry can be a complicated field to navigate. As a trusted leader in Miami entertainment law, ChaseLawyers can help. With over 40 years of experience, Our Miami based lawyers have helped individuals in nearly every area of entertainment law in Miami, including sports, music, film, television, modeling, literature, and more. We understand the unique challenges you face as a creative, and we’re prepared to protect your interests.
As an artist in Miami, you must navigate the intricacies of copyright law, trademarks, contractual agreements, and much more. It is critical you choose a qualified Miami entertainment lawyer with expertise in the nuances of the entertainment world. ChaseLawyers has built a stellar reputation among our clientele for honest, professional representation that produces effective results. We have extensive experience in the unique legal elements you must navigate as an artist, and our attorneys can provide you with indispensable career advice and expertise over the course of your entertainment career.
When you work with ChaseLawyers, you are more than just a client. We care about your well-being and can provide essential advice on the issues you face in the Miami market, such as intellectual property issues, negotiating service agreements, publicity rights, and much more. We also have an extensive network of resources available for our clients to connect with, and those connections can enrich your career in countless ways. Our team understands the complex world of entertainment law and will take care of your legal needs so you can focus on doing what you do best—sharing your talent with the world!
When you’re ready to take the next step in your career, our Miami entertainment lawyers are ready to help you. We are passionate about helping creatives with all of their legal needs, and you won’t find a team more dedicated to your success in all of Miami. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation!
