3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Academic Research Paper Session

8:30 am – 10:30 am

Fostering DEI in the Sports Industry; Moving from Complacency to Action
Sponsored by    

Speakers:

Ashland Johnson, Founder and President, Inclusion Playbook
Nona Lee, Founder and CEO, TruthDEI

8:30 am – 12:00 pm

Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) Arbitrators and Mediators Seminar: For CAS arbitrators only

10:30 am – 11:30 am

Pathways to Sports Law

Moderator:

Aaron Hernandez, Assistant Dean and Executive Director, ASU Allan “Bud” Selig Sports Law and Business Program

Panelists:

John Clune, Chair of Sports Law Group, Hutchinson, Black and Cook, LLC
Hannah Hartman-DuPont, Legal Coordinator, Legal, Business and Technology Affairs, Major League Baseball
Stephanie Galvin, Senior Associate Counsel, Dallas Cowboys
Leilyn Miles, Associate Counsel and Associate Director of Legal Affairs, NCAA
Brandon Wurl, Associate Counsel, Arizona Cardinals

11:30 am – 12:00 pm

Opening Reception

12:00 pm – 12:30 pm

SLA 2025 Annual Conference Welcome and 2025 Philanthropy Presentation: Backfield in Motion

Layth Gafoor, President, Sports Lawyers Association
Arthur McAfee, 2025 Annual Conference Chair

12:30 pm -2:00 pm

Year in Review: An Overview of Recent Legal Developments in Sports

Panelists:

Gabe Feldman, Sher Garner Professor of Sports Law and Paul and Abram B. Barron Professor of Law, Tulane Law School; Director, Tulane Sports Law Program; Associate Provost for NCAA Compliance; Co-Director, Tulane Center for Sport Tulane University; Arbitrator, Court of Arbitration for Sport; Labor Arbitrator, American Arbitration Association.
Matt Mitten, Professor of Law and Executive Director, National Sports Law Institute, Marquette University Law School; Arbitrator, Court of Arbitration for Sport, SLA Past President
Maureen Weston, Professor of Law, Director, Entertainment Media & Sports Law Program, Pepperdine Caruso School of Law

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

How Antitrust and Competition Law Have Shaped U.S. and European Pro Sports

Moderator:

Matt Mitten, Professor of Law and Executive Director, National Sports Law Institute, Marquette University Law School; Arbitrator, Court of Arbitration for Sport, SLA Past President

Panelists:

Jodi Balsam, Professor of Clinical Law; Director; Externship Programs, Brooklyn Law School
Nick DeMarco, Barrister, Blackstone Chambers
Jeffrey Kessler, Partner, Co-Executive Chairman, Winston & Strawn
Gary Roberts, Former President, Bradley University; Former Dean Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law and Gerald L. Bepko Professor of Law

3:15 pm – 3:30 pm

Refreshment Break

3:15 pm – 4:15 pm

Evolution of Global Sponsorships and Brand Protection

Moderator:

Will Deller, Partner, Bird & Bird

Panelists:

Monique Hawthorne, Lead Counsel, Airbnb
Paul Loving, Partner, Rimon PC
Tiffany Shepard, Director and Senior Counsel, Brand protection, FIFA World Cup 2026

4:30 pm – 5:30 pm

General Counsels’ Forum

Moderator:

Mike Tannenbaum, NFL Analyst, ESPN

Panelists:

Scott Bearby, General Counsel, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
Curtis Franks, General Counsel, FIFA World Cup at FIFA
Karena Vleck, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, World Athletics

5:30 pm – 6:15 pm

SLA Leadership Series: The Role of a Players Association, for College Athletes Rights
Sponsored by    

Host:

Bobby Hacker, Principal, Robert A. Hacker

Guest:

Jim Cavale, Founder and Chairman, Athletes.org

6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

SLA Golden Anniversary Celebration
Sponsored by    

Join us for a magical evening where music meets celebration, highlighted by the sensational Nina Lee. Don't miss out on an unforgettable evening filled with music, memories, and celebration!

7:30 am – 8:30 am

International Breakfast

8:30 am – 10:00 am

Staying In-Bounds: Legal Ethics for the Sports Practitioner

Panel of Experts:

Jodi Balsam, Professor of Clinical Law, Brooklyn Law School
Jeffrey Bivins, Justice, Tennessee Supreme Court
Stephanie Jarvis, Assistant Teaching Professor, ASU Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
William Koch, Dean, Nashville School of Law

Cast Members:

Bobby Hacker, Principal, Robert A. Hacker
Kate Koster, CAA Sport Business Affairs
Ajay Mohandas, CAA Sports Business Affairs
Montene Speight, Covington-New York
Heather Udowitch, Associate, Snell & Wilmer
Norm Wain, Consultant; Former General Counsel, USA Track & Field
Bob Wallace Jr., Chairman Sports Law Group, Thompson Coburn

10:00 am – 10:30 am

Refreshment Break

10:30 am – 11:30 am

Executive Directors’ Forum

Moderator:

Gabe Feldman, Sher Garner Professor of Sports Law and Paul and Abram B. Barron Professor of Law, Tulane Law School; Director, Tulane Sports Law Program; Associate Provost for NCAA Compliance; Co-Director, Tulane Center for Sport Tulane University; Arbitrator, Court of Arbitration for Sport; Labor Arbitrator, American Arbitration Association

Panelists:

Meghann Burke, Executive Director, National Women’s Soccer League Players Association (NWSLPA)
Terri Jackson, Executive Director, Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA)
Bruce Meyer, Deputy Executive Director, Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA)

11:30 am – 12:00 pm

Recognition of Past Presidents

12:15 pm – 1:15 pm

Join us for lunch and the 2nd of our SLA Leadership Series 2024 NWSL Season: A Case Study for Women’s Sports
Sponsored by    

Host:

Bobby Hacker, Principal, Robert A. Hacker

Guest:

Jessica Berman, Commissioner, National Women’s Soccer League

1:30 pm – 2:30 pm

The Future of Sports Ownership Structure-Legal Issues Facing General Counsels of Multi-Team Sports Organizations

Moderator:

Richard Brand, Managing Partner, ArentFox Schiff

Panelists:

Myles Pistorius, General Counsel, Dolphins/Hard Rock Stadium/Miami Grand Prix F1/Miami Open
Suzanne Spellacy, General Counsel, Minnesota Timberwolves & Lynx
Tanya Taylor, General Counsel, Tepper Sports and Entertainment
Ted Tywang, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel, Haslam Sports Group

1:30 pm – 2:30 pm

The Globalization of Sports Finance – International Investment Opportunities and Challenges and How to Manage Them

Moderator:

Peter Czegledy, Co-Chair Sports Media & Entertainment, Aird & Berlis LLP

Panelists:

Brandon Doll, Founder, Sports & Entertainment Advisors
Kier Gordon, Partner, Charles Russell Speachlys
Nicholas Simon, Partner, Baker Hostetler
Lindsay Richardson, Associate, Ropes & Gray
Geoff Urbina, Managing Director, KeyBanc Capital Markets

1:30 pm – 2:30 pm

Latest Developments and Recent CAS Case Law

Speakers:

David Casserly, Barrister, Partner Kellerhals & Carrard; CAS arbitrator
Brent Nowicki, Executive Director World Aquatics
Matthieu Reeb, CAS Director General
William Sternheimer, CAS Manager Training and Education

1:30 pm – 3:45 pm

NFLPA Certified Contract Advisor Session

Speakers:

Ned Ehrlich, Associate General Counsel, NFLPA
Andrew Morris, Public Policy/Staff Counsel, NFLPA
Adam Richelieu, Senior Salary Cap and Contract Manager, NFLPA

2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Crises + Comeback: Tools for Managing Public Crises

Moderator:

Woodie Dixon, Jr. General Counsel, Chegg Inc.

Panelists:

Liz Breen, Managing Director FGS Global
Jason Cohen, General Counsel, Dallas Cowboys
Michelle Gervais, Co-Chair, Sports Law Practice, Blank Rome LLP
Rich Nichols, Principal, Richard M. Nichols PC
Megha Parekh, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, Jacksonville Jaguars
Michael Sheetz, Partner and Chair, Sports Law Practice, Cooley LLP

2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

An Uneasy Alliance: Legal Issues Arising from the Intersection of Sports Media and Sports Wagering

Moderator:

Debbie Spander, Founder and CEO, Insight Sports Advisors

Panelists:

Robert Boland, Professor, Seton Hall Law School; Partner and Co-Chair, Sports Practice Group, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick
Richard Cooper, Vice President, Regulatory, FanDuel Group
Sabrina Perel, Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, NFL

3:30 pm – 4:00 pm

Refreshment Break

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Breakout Session #1

A. Breaking Ground: The Legal Complexities of Building a Modern Sports Stadium

Moderator:

Lisa Wiznitzer, Associate, Loeb & Loeb

Panelists:

Lisa Glahn, Partner, Foley & Lardner
Jennifer O’Sullivan, Chief Legal Officer and Chief Operating Officer, NYC Football Club
Daniel Werly, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Tennessee Titans
Krista Whitaker, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, Chicago Bears

B. Current Football Governance, Commercial, and Legal Issues

Moderator:

Laura Warren, Chief Legal and Administrative Officer, Chicago Fire FC

Panelists:

Américo Espallargas, Head of Disciplinary, Fédération Internationale de Football Association
Curtis Franks, General Counsel, FIFA World Cup at FIFA
Shameeka Quallo, Chief Legal Officer, Washington Spirit

C. The Future of Music Licensing Issues in Sports

Moderator:

Loren Mulraine, Partner, Spencer Fane

Panelists:

Jim Dudukovich, Partner, Nelson Mullins
Tim Epstein, Partner, Duggan Bartch LLC
Carron Mitchell, Partner, Nixon Peabody LLP

D. 50 Years of Sports Advocacy, The Internationalization of Sports, Athlete Safety, Social Justice and Human Rights

Panelists:

N. Jeremi Duru, Professor and Director of the Sport & Society Initiative, American University, Washington College of Law
Kenneth Shropshire, Professor Emeritus at the Wharton School & Africana Studies; Senior Advisor to the Dean; Faculty Director, Wharton Coalition for Equity & Opportunity

E. The New Advisors-Representing the Future Athlete

Moderator:

Alanna Hernandez, Executive Vice President, Business Affairs and Operations, Team Sports, Wasserman

Panelists:

Andrew Bua, Vice President, Legal, Wasserman
Locher Grove, Co-Founder & CEO, Dealiyo
Ena Patel, Team President, Innovation Baseball

F. An Act of Congress: Federal Legislation and Sports

Moderator:

Stacey Blackwell, Former Director of Awards and Special Projects, NCAA

Panelists:

Hunter Bates, Partner, Akin Gump
Nick DeMarco, Barrister, Blackstone Chambers
Andrew Morris, Public Policy/Staff Counsel, NFLPA

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Breakout Session #2
(Same Topics and Rooms as Previous Session)

6:00 pm – 7:30 pm

President’s Reception

8:30 am – 9:30 am

Continental Breakfast

8:30 am – 9:30 am

Women in the SLA Breakfast
Sponsored by    

9:30 am – 10:30 am

Women Leaders Impacting the Future of Sports

Moderator:

Allison Rich, Director of Athletics, University of New Hampshire

Panelists:

Renee Chube Washington, Chief Operating Officer, USATF
Beth Debauche, Commissioner, Ohio Valley Conference
Michelle Kennedy , President and Chief Operating Officer, Nashville Predators
Lisa Lazarus, Chief Executive Officer, Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority

10:30 am – 11:00 am

Refreshment Break

11:00 am – 12:00 pm

The Broad Impact of the Evolution in College Athletics

Moderator:

Warren Zola, Executive Director, Boston College Chief Executives Club

Panelists:

Janet P. Judge, Founder and partner, Education & Sports Law Group, LLC
Rakesh Kilaru, Partner, Wilkinson Stekloff, LLP
Candice Storey Lee, Vice Chancellor for Athletics and University Affairs and Athletics Director, Vanderbilt University
Oliver Luck, Chair, Altius Sports Partners; Advisor, Fair Sports

12:15 pm

Meeting Adjourns