Biglaw Is Going In Big On Big Sports
These Biglaw firms are going where the big money is, and right now, that's sports.
Ed. note: Welcome to our daily feature, Quote of the Day.
The issues have become far more complex, the stakes far more significant, and the players far more global and institutional. Corporate interests are playing an increasingly important and visible role, with private equity and sports investment funds becoming intensely engaged participants.
[C]ourts are also reshaping the sports landscape, with a particular impact on college athletics. Women’s sports are ascending and becoming extraordinarily popular and profitable.
— Brad Karp, chairman of Paul Weiss in comments given to the American Lawyer, on why more Biglaw firms are growing their sports practices. Karp, who’s done work in many sports-related litigations, also said that “[t]he pies will continue to expand,” as “[m]edia rights deals continue to become richer, driving up franchise values across all professional sports. And the issues at stake have increasingly turned on nuanced legal judgments and interpretations, where lawyers can add value. I see these trends accelerating in the future.”
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on X/Twitter and Threads or connect with her on LinkedIn.
