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Sports
Our Sports Law Practice Group offers the experience necessary to customize legal solutions for all parties involved in both participation in sports (from athletes and coaches to organizations and facilities), and the business of sports (from event management to facility construction to licensing issues). We serve as trial counsel for litigated matters, trusted advisors through sports organization processes such as transfers and eligibility determinations, and transactional counsel on sports business deals. Recognizing the time and expense that can be involved in these matters, we counsel our clients on the various defense and early resolution options available, and work to resolve these disputes in the most expeditious and efficient manner. To accomplish this, we collaborate with members of SmithAmundsen’s Labor & Employment, Construction, School Law, and Financial Services and Business practice groups to handle the wide array of legal issues unique to participation in sports and the business of sports.
Author, “
Learning to be a Lawyer from a Lawyer: The Benefits of Adjunct Faculty
,” DRI Today Blog, January 5, 2012.
Columnist, “
NCAA May use Bylaws to Manage Penn State and Syracuse Cases
,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, January 3, 2012.
Author, “
Student-Athlete.O - Regulation of Student-Athletes’ Social Media Use: A Guide to Avoiding NCAA Sanctions and Related Litigation
,” Mississippi Sports Law Review, vol. 1:1, 2-35, 2012.
Appearance, WGN Radio AM 720, “
Legally Speaking
,” with host Karen Conti, Chicago, IL, December 25, 2011.
Contributor, “
Contracts May Keep NBA Players in China for Remainder of the Season
,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, December 13, 2011.
Columnist, “
NFL Needs to Change Mentality to Prevent Head Injuries
,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, December 6, 2011.
Speaker, "
Social Media and Intercollegiate Athletics
," The University of Mississippi Sports Law Review 2011 Fall Symposium, Oxford, MS, November 18, 2011.
Speaker, "Social Media," Mississippi School of Law, Lafayette, MS, November 11, 2011.
Co-author, "
Crash for the KHL: Analysis of the Russian Hockey Team Airplane Tragedy and Lessons to be Learned in Sports Organization Risk Management
,” Sports Litigation Alert, vol. 8 iss. 20, November 4, 2011.
Columnist,"
Lawsuits in the Wake of Race Car Crashes Encounter Legal Tests
," Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, November 1, 2011.
Appearance, WGN Radio AM 720, "
Legally Speaking
," with host Karen Conti, Chicago, IL, October 23, 2011.
Columnist, "
Athletes Face Some Legal Risks with Social Networking
," Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, October 4, 2011.
Author, "
His Example Challenges Me to Be a Better Person
," Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, September 11, 2011.
Columnist, "
NCAA Meets Hurdles if it Changes the System, Pays Student Athletes
," Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, September 6, 2011.
Columnist, "
Sports' Unions Help Maintain Integrity of Competition
," Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, August 2, 2011.
Author, "
An Analysis of a Court’s Decision to Deny Injunctive Relief to Michael McAdoo
," Sports Litigation Alert, vol. 8, iss. 13, July, 29, 2011.
Author, "
The BCS and the Less Restrictive Means Prong: Legality Might Depend on the Circuit
," The Business Suit: The DRI's Newsletter of the Commercial Litigation Committee, July 14, 2011.
Columnist, "
Challenges Exist in Regulating Use of Drugs in Sports
," Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, June 28, 2011.
Columnist, "
Recent agent-athlete scandals spur regulatory action
," Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, June 7, 2011.
Reference, "
Noah held to standards in uniform player contract
," Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, May 24, 2011.
Columnist, "
The licensing conundrum: If it's in the video
game
, it might be illegal
," Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, May 3, 2011.
Featured Attorney, "
Leadership Profile
," DRI's The Whisper, Volume 7 Issue 4, May 3, 2011.
Speaker, "A Discussion on NCAA Compliance," University of Chicago Law School, Chicago, IL, April 28, 2011.
Speaker, “Youth Sports in Society,” McDaniel College, Westminster, MD, April 26, 2011.
Speaker, "Privacy Law and Its Impact on Sports," Tulane University School of Law, New Orleans, LA, April 4, 2011.
Speaker, "Compliance and the NCAA," Tulane University School of Law, New Orleans, LA, April 4, 2011.
Columnist, "
NFL Players' Decertification: Hail Mary or a Smart Play?
" Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Sporting Judgment Column, April 5, 2011.
Panelist, "
The Impact of Social Media on the Creative Client
," Loyola University School of Law, March 31, 2011.
Reference, "
NBA scouts keep eye on Kanter as he sits
," Yahoo! Sports, March 16, 2011.
Panelist, "
A Rule is a Rule: Compliance in the World of Sports,
" DePaul Sports Law Symposium, Chicago, IL, March 4, 2011.
Appearance, WGN Radio AM 720, "
Legally Speaking
," with hosts Greg Adamski and Karen Conti, Chicago, IL, February 6, 2011.
Contributor, "
Niche: Midsize firms often offer outside-the-box practices
," Chicago Lawyer, February 1, 2011.
Contributor, "
Now Playing: After a Highly Publicized Nine-Game Suspension, a Top Frosh Attraction is Finally on the Court
," ESPN The Magazine, January 10, 2011.
Contributor, "
U of I Law Boot Camp a Real Eye-Opener
," Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, January 7, 2011.
Contributor, "
Leaving the Locker Room for a Law Firm
,"
The
New York Times
, November 5, 2010.
Speaker, “Hot Litigation for 2011: Morality Clauses in Sports Contracts,” DRI Annual Meeting, October 22, 2010.
Featured Attorney, "
Questions Linger on Recruit’s Eligibility
,"
The New York Times
, October 12, 2010.
Author, “
Recent Activities are a Hit, with More on Deck
,” DRI’s
For the Defense
magazine, August 2010.
Contributor, “Show me the Sanctions!” More Scandals, the Uniform Athlete Agent Act, and an Institution’s Cause of Action Against Agents and Former Players,”
The Sports Commentary’s Best of the Blogroll
, July 23, 2010.
Speaker, “Hot Litigation for 2011: Morality Clauses in Sports Contracts,” DRI Annual Meeting, October 22, 2010.
Moderator, “Licenses, Monopolies and the NFL: An Examination of the Supreme Court's Decision in
American Needle
and its Effects in Sports, IP, Antitrust and Labor Law,” DRI Webcast, June 24, 2010.
Author, "
American Needle 9 – National Football League 0”: Background and Implications of the Supreme Court’s Unanimous Denial of the NFL’s Attempt at Single Entity Status in Sports Law, Antitrust, IP and Labor Law
,” DRI's
The Business Suit
, Volume 13, Issue 4, June 7, 2010.
Contributor,
Minimum Age Requirements in the NBA & NFL: Legal Folly or Friend for Amateur Athletes?
"
Sports Litigation Alert
, April 23, 2010.
Speaker, “
Jurisconsultus Sportiva: Evaluation of the Current Practice of the Sports Lawyer
,” University of Illinois College of Law, April 8, 2010.
Panel Moderator, "
The Legality and Impact of Age Restrictions in Professional Sports
," 14th Annual Fordham Sports Law Symposium, Fordham Law School, New York, NY, March 26, 2010.
Contributor, “
Sports Law Attorney Examines the Viability of Disappointing Lawsuits
,”
Sports Litigation Alert
, December 4, 2009.
Speaker, "
Disappointment Lawsuits
," University of Texas School of Law, November 20, 2009
.
Speaker, "
Legal Issues for the
Amateur Athlete: Multiplied, Benched, and Injured
," Loyola University School of Law, February 3, 2009 and October 20, 2009.
Appearances, Good Day Chicago,
Tiger Woods' Troubles Associated with His Recent Automobile Accident
, December 3, 2009;
Taxi Cab Convictions
, August 11, 2009;
Ponzi Scheme Associated with Mike North’s Chicago Sports Webio
, July 15, 2009;
Sammy Sosa Drug Allegations
, June 18, 2009.
Contributor, “
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Lawyer
,”
The American Lawyer
, September 1, 2009.
Appearance,
WGN Radio AM 720 “
Legally Speaking
” with hosts Karen Conti and Greg Adamski,
Sunday, September 27, 2009.
Featured Attorney,
DRI Leadership Spotlight: Commercial Litigation
, August 25, 2009.
Author, "
Reversal of Fortune: Upstream Contractors’ Victory in Summit is Short-lived
," The Critcal Path, June 25, 2009.
Reference, "Until It Hurts: America's Obsession With Youth Sports and How It Harms Our Kids," by Mark Hyman, (Beacon Press, 2009).
Speaker, Loyola Academy's
Quo Vadis
Program, Wilmette, IL, May 20, 2009.
Author, “
Chicago Joins the Metal Bat Debate: As the Windy City Inches Closer to Securing its Bid to Host the 2016 Games, a Closer Examination of such Debates becomes Necessary
,”
Sports Litigation Alert
, April 23, 2009.
Speaker, "
Legal Issues for the Amateur Athlete: Multiplied, Benched, and Injured
," University of Illinois College of Law, April 16, 2009.
Co-author, "
Defending the Stimulus Project: Application of The Spearin Doctrine To Stimulus Package Funded Construction Projects
,"
The Critical Path
, April 3, 2009.
Panelist,
Loyola's Sports and Entertainment Law Society's Sports Law Career Panel
, Loyola University Chicago School of Law, March 24, 2009.
Author, “
Despite
Oliver
Ruling to Allow Legal Counsel for Student Athletes More Reform at NCAA Needed
,” University of Pittsburgh School of Law
Jurist
, February 19, 2009.
Author, "
Prep Plus: Evaluating the Motivations for and Effects of Multipliers and other Measures in High School Sports
," University of Texas,
Texas Review of Entertainment and Sports Law
, Vol. 10, Spring 2009.
Speaker, "Issues in Amateur Sports Law: Disappointment Lawsuits as Viable Causes of Action," Boston College Law School, November 10, 2008.
Contributor, "Illinois Supreme Court Emphasizes Contact Sports Exception in Reversal,"
Sports Litigation Alert
, April 11, 2008.
Author, "
Case of St. Ambrose Baseball Player Meets ‘Covered Travel’ Requirements
,"
Sports Litigation Alert
, December 2007.
Contributor, "Boston College Makes Plans for Church Land,"
USA TODAY
, December 5, 2007.
Contributor, "‘Disappointment lawsuits’ give athletes another legal option,"
Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal
, October 29, 2007.
Co-author, “
Tips for Defending Against a Premises Liability Claim in Illinois Construction Cases
,”
The Critical Path
, September 2007.
Author, "Fix Communications (Could Chicago’s Low Disaster Readiness Score Endanger the Chances for the 2016 Games?),"
Crain’s Chicago Business
, January 15, 2007.
Contributor, "Athletic Departments Skirt Legal Lines in Dealing with FaceBook, Myspace,"
Sports Litigation Alert
, September 2006.
Contributor, "Athletic Directors Can Prevent Student Athletes from Embracing MySpace, FaceBook," Legal Issues in Collegiate Athletics, July 2006.
Author, "Casino in Games Bid?,"
Crain’s Chicago Business
, May 22, 2006.
Author, "
The Impact and Implication of U.S. v. Booker: The Sixth Amendment versus Mandatory Sentencing Guidelines
," Chicago Bar Association Record, 19 CBA Record 44, February/March 2005.
Author, "
Splinters from the Bench: Feasibility of Lawsuits by Athletes Against Coaches and Schools for Lack of Playing Time
,"
University of Virginia Sports and Entertainment Law Journal
, Spring 4 Va. Sports & Ent. L.J. 174 (2005).
Author, "
Surviving Exemption: Should the Church Exemption to ERISA Still Be in Effect
?" 11
Elder Law Journal
, 395-424, 2003.
Contributor and Guest Host, national
Sports Law Blog
(2005-current): "The Cross-Town Classic: ChiSox versus Cubs on Taxes and Renovations" (1/2/2012); "The Penn State Debate: Are NCAA Sanctions Inevitable?" (11/18/2011); "Bullish on BCS?: Stripping USC and Potential Antitrust Implications for the BCS," (6/18/2011); "Down go the Dodgers: the Stow Suit Deepens the Debacle," (5/31/2011); "Toreros and Black Sox: Point-Shaving in Southern CA Sparks Reflection on the Recurring (Underreported?) Problem of Fixing Games," (4/24/2011); "Division by Multiplication: Illinois Once Again Heats up the Public v. Private Debate in HS Sports," (4/13/2011); "Update on White Sox Kickback Scandal," (2/12/2011); "3 K's for Kickbacks: White Sox are Latest Team with Troubles in Latin America," (11/12/2010); "That's Some Big Blood": Selig Implements HGH Testing in the Minor League," (7/22/10); ""Show me the Sanctions!": More Scandals, the Uniform Athlete Agent Act, and an Institution’s Cause of Action Against Agents and Former Players," (7/20/10); "
Cause and Effect Sports Law: Who Dat Style," (1/28/10);
"Taxi Cab Convictions?" (8/11/09); "
Not a Problem or Not Enough Money to Fund the Program: Florida Ends HS Anabolic Steroids Testing Program," (2/18/09);
"
"Flyer" Goes Down: Wisconsin Supreme Court Finds Cheerleading to be a Contact Sport," (1/27/09);
"Vick Files for Bankruptcy," (7/8/08); "Full Contact: The Illinois Supreme Court Elaborates on the Contact Sports Exception in Karas," (2/25/08); "Sports Mixing With Religion and Politics: Majerus, Abortion, Basketball Arenas, and Tax Abatements," (1/22/08); "Illinois Joins NJ, FL, and TX With High School Drug Testing," (1/15/08); "Making the Best of It: BC’s Bailout of Boston Archdiocese to Benefit Baseball," (12/5/07); "Tank Johnson Will Join the Bears in Miami" (1/23/07); "Is the Homeland Secure Enough for the ‘Games’?" (1/15/07); "From Vikings on Boats to Timberwolves in Cars: More Minnesota Mischief" (7/3/06); "Could Gaming Help Chicago become an "Olympic" Kind of Town?" (5/25/06); "(Un)Leveling the Playing Field: Enrollment Multipliers in High School Sports" (4/8/06); "Down with the Count: Do Weigh-In Procedures Actually Endanger Boxer Safety" (4/5/06); "MLS: Reflections on the League’s Appeal to the Mexican-American Population in Light of the Current Immigration Debate" (4/5/06); "Nospace: Is MySpace Inappropriate for Student Athlete Expression?" (4/3/06); "From Poms to Pain" (1/19/06); "The Former Athlete as Counselor" (1/18/06); and "Could Gaming Help Chicago Become an ‘Olympic’ Kind of Town" (1/16/06).
Timothy Liam Epstein
Jeanine S. Oury
URL: /practice_details.aspx?p=41