2025 Conference Schedule

Continuing Legal Education Credits Approved:  10.5 general hours, 60-minute states (AL, CA, CT, GA, LA, MS, TX) and 12.5 general hours, 50-minute states (FL, NJ), NY approved in accordance with New York’s approved jurisdictional policy (12.5 general hours).

8:00 – 9:00 am: Breakfast, Registration, Welcome Remarks

• Marcilynn A. Burke, Dean and Mitchell Franklin Professor of Law, Tulane Law School
• Gabe Feldman– Sher Garner Professor of Sports Law; Paul and Abram B. Barron Professor of Law; Director, Tulane Sports Law Program; Co-Director, Tulane Center for Sport; Associate Provost for NCAA Compliance

9:00 – 9:55 am: Star Power: Representing Talent in Entertainment & Sports

• Warren K. Zola (L ’92), Carroll School of Management, Boston College
• Jennifer Duberstein, Head of Sports Business Affairs, CAA Sports
• Martin Fischman (L ’09), NFL Agent and Attorney, Klutch Sports Group
• Andy Patman, Literary Agent, Innovative Artists Talent Agency

The entertainment & sports industries bring unique opportunities and challenges to the athletes and artists who create the products on the field, on the screen, and more.  This panel includes veteran agents and lawyers who help these athletes and artists perform at their best and navigate the intricate legal and business challenges they face, like negotiating and drafting innovative contracts, securing deals with top brands, and coming up with creative outlets for their clients to leverage their skills.

10:00 – 10:45 am: Reshaping College Athletics: Breaking Down the House Settlement with the Lawyers Who Built It

• Gabe Feldman, Sher Garner Professor of Sports Law; Paul and Abram B. Barron Professor of Law; Director, Tulane Sports Law Program; Co-Director, Tulane Center for Sport; Associate Provost for NCAA Compliance
• Jeffrey Kessler, Partner, Co-Executive Chairman, Winston & Strawn LLP
• Rakesh Kilaru, Partner, Wilkinson Stekloff

 The world of college athletics is undergoing seismic change, with the House v. NCAA lawsuit among the foremost movers.  Jeffrey Kessler is lead counsel for the House plaintiffs and Rakesh Kilaru is lead counsel for the NCAA.  Together with their co-counsel they have brokered a groundbreaking settlement that awaits a final hearing on approval next month.  Hear from the leaders who orchestrated this historic agreement to resolve the litigation and potentially change college sports forever.

10:50 – 11:45 am: Major League General Counsel: Lawyers Leading Top Pro Sports Franchises

• Gabe Feldman, Sher Garner Professor of Sports Law; Paul and Abram B. Barron Professor of Law; Director, Tulane Sports Law Program; Co-Director, Tulane Center for Sport; Associate Provost for NCAA Compliance
• Jeff Dorso (L ’01), Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Sacramento Kings
• Jennifer Lewis (L ’98), General Counsel, Los Angeles Clippers
• Vicky Neumeyer (L ’98), Senior Vice President/General Counsel, New Orleans Saints & Pelicans
• Scott Wilkinson, Executive Vice President & Chief Legal Officer, Atlanta Hawks

 The business of running a major league team has grown dramatically over the last 20 years.  The legal issues confronted by team general counsel has likewise grown and shifted.  This panel will examine the top legal and business issues facing general counsel for major league teams in today’s sports world.  What are the legal, regulatory, and policy considerations involved in developing and building a new stadium or arena?  How do teams and leagues handle data & privacy issues raised by new technology, from ticketing, to attending games, sales, and apps?  What are other key aspects of the team business, like sponsorships, merchandise?  The panel will answer these questions and more.

11:45 – 1:15 pm: Lunch & Keynote: Roger Bennett, Men in Blazers, in conversation with Prof. Gabe Feldman

1:15 – 2:05 pm: High Profile Legal & Business Issues in Entertainment & Sports

• Kevin Yorn (L ’90), founding partner of the Yorn Levine Entertainment Law Firm as well as the growth equity investment firm BroadLight Capital. Kevin and the law firm represent global talent such as Alix Earle, Jason Sudeikis, Jordan Peele, Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey, Scarlett Johansson, Shane Gillis, Snoop Dogg, Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, Steph Curry, Stranger Things creators the Duffer Brothers, and Zoe Saldaña
• Ken Turkel (B ’86), Trial attorney, Founding Shareholder, Turkel Cuva Barrios who has represented athletes and celebrities including Terry Bollea (pka “Hulk Hogan”), Governor Sarah Palin, Kid Rock, and more
• Eric Blevins (L ’11), Sports Law Program Manager, Tulane Center for Sport; Adjunct Faculty, Tulane Freeman School of Business

Top Hollywood lawyer, Kevin Yorn, and trial attorney for celebrities, Ken Turkel, will discuss some of the most pressing legal and business issues in entertainment and sports, including how a lawyer helps A-list stars navigate their contracts, careers, and business interests; protecting celebrity clients in privacy, libel/defamation, name, image, likeness, and other matters; the challenges and opportunities on the horizon for Hollywood, and more.

2:10 – 3:25 pm: An Insiders Look Into Hollywood: A Mock Negotiation Between Studio Executives and Talent Representatives

• Jeff Frost (L ’89), President, Bristol Circle Entertainment
• Lizze Broadway, Actor, well-known as Emma Meyer in GEN V, among other hits
• Adam Glick, Executive Vice President, Business Operations, Warner Bros. Television
• Brittany Hveem, Head of Business Affairs, Hulu Originals
• Jason Sloane, Partner, Sloane Offer Weber and Dern
• Dan Scharf, Chief Operating Officer, Amazon Studios

This panel will feature an interactive, moderated mock negotiation of an agreement between a studio and talent representative, and provide insight into legal and other issues that may arise in contemporary entertainment negotiations, such as the particular contractual terms featured in these deals and where leverage exists between specific stakeholders like studios, streamers, actors, and agents.

3:30 – 4:30 pm: Center Stage: Behind the Curtain of the Music Industry

• Tim Francis (L ’84), Counsel, Sher Garner
• Ashlye Keaton (L ’03), Co-Founder, ELLA Project
• Charles Hamilton (L ’97), Head of Business & Legal Affairs, Giant Music
• Paul Friedman (L ’96; MBA ’96), Executive Vice President, Music Affairs Group & Administration, Sony Pictures Entertainment
• Greg Williamson, Real Estate Broker, Douglas Elliman Real Estate; Executive Producer of Love Rocks NYC, an annual benefit concert in New York City; and Founder of The Soho Sessions

Tim Francis, who has worked with numerous music industry luminaries, including as Chief Operating Officer for Stevie Wonder Enterprises, leads this panel in a discussion on the most pressing legal and business issues facing the music industry today.  Topics include the impact of technology and novel intellectual property issues raised by new technology, the model for artist success in the streaming age, licensing music in today’s industry, legal & business issues facing live music events, and more.

4:30-4:35 pm: Closing Remarks

• Gabe Feldman– Sher Garner Professor of Sports Law; Paul and Abram B. Barron Professor of Law; Director, Tulane Sports Law Program; Co-Director, Tulane Center for Sport; Associate Provost for NCAA Compliance

4:35 – 5:30 pm: Networking Reception sponsored by Venable LLP

Tulane Law School- MPR Patio

8:15 – 9:00 am: Breakfast, Registration, and Welcome Remarks

9:00 – 9:55 am: College Athletics from NIL to Employee Status

• Gabe Feldman, Sher Garner Professor of Sports Law; Paul and Abram B. Barron Professor of Law; Director, Tulane Sports Law Program; Co-Director, Tulane Center for Sport; Associate Provost for NCAA Compliance
• Keith Carroll, Partner and Co-Chair of Sports Industry Team, Holland & Knight
• Renee Gomila (L ’00), Principal, RG Sports Consulting
• Arianna Scavetti, Partner, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
• Ty Thomas (L ’01), Partner and Co-Chair of Sports Industry Team, Holland & Knight

Explore the legal issues enveloping college athletics as this panel discusses litigation and policy ranging from name, image, and likeness; athlete eligibility; whether college athletes may be considered employees of their schools; NCAA enforcement actions; and more.

10:00 – 10:45 am: Breakout Sessions

• Session A: Hot Topics in Sports Law
  • Mercedes Townsend (L ’19), Employment and Civil Rights Attorney, Casey Denson Law; Founder, Friend of the Court
  • Demeka Fields (L ’16), Global Sports Marketing, New Balance
  • Taryn Brown (L ’09), Chief Legal Officer, Delta Utilities; former Vice President, Legends; former Associate, Baker McKenzie
  • Zach Schreiber (SLA ’13), Associate, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
  • Matthew Sharpe, Vice President & Associate General Counsel, New Orleans Saints & Pelicans

This panel will discuss some of the most common legal issues facing lawyers in today’s sports world, from litigation to transactional work, including contracts & sponsorships, M&A, negotiations, and more.  The panel will also emphasize legal issues that junior lawyers should master early in their careers.

OR

• Session B: What’s Next in Entertainment Law
  • Anne Friedman (L ’01), Partner, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP
  • Thomas P. Lane (L ’91), EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) winning producer and investor, and entertainment litigator who has worked with artists such as Prince, Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, James Taylor and Billy Porter
  • James Nelson (L ’95), Partner, Venable LLP
  • Dorian Slater Thomas (L ’13), Counsel, Frankfurt Kurnit Klein + Selz

Technology, labor, and other changes have altered the entertainment industry and created new opportunities and challenges for practicing lawyers.  This panel will include extensive discussion of intellectual property in entertainment, including how to leverage entertainment clients’ IP, and issues involving agencies, brands, and creative talent.  It will also cover legal and business issues arising from advances in artificial intelligence, including how to comply with legal and regulatory requirements.

10:50 – 11:35 am: Breakout Sessions

• Session A: Pro Sports: Inside the Front Office
  • Breard Snellings (L ’18), Adjunct Faculty, Tulane Freeman School of Business
  • Andrew Baker (L ’15), Vice President, Basketball Strategy & Analytics, Dallas Mavericks
  • Marianna Salas (L ’23), Defensive Coaching Fellow, Baltimore Ravens
  • Hamilton Wise (L ’16), Director, International Scouting and Development, Texas Rangers

This panel will take you inside the workings of a modern-day pro sports front office with representatives from NFL, NBA, and MLB teams.  This panel will discuss legal, logistical, and business issues faced by pro front offices, ranging from contract negotiation, collective bargaining agreement interpretation, to scouting, talent evaluation, and salary cap management.  Learn how a real front office crafts contractual terms and leans on the terms of the collective bargaining agreement between management and players to help their teams win on the field and on the court.

OR

• Session B: From Lawsuits to Scripts— Careers in Hollywood & the Law
  • Eric Blevins (L ’11), Sports Law Program Manager, Tulane Center for Sport; Adjunct Faculty, Tulane Freeman School of Business
  • Bill Chais, Screenwriter & Producer, well known for FRANKLIN & BASH, DESIGNATED SURVIVOR, and other hits
  • Robert Fyvolent (A&S ’84), Attorney and Academy Award and Grammy Award-winning Producer of SUMMER OF SOUL
  • Bob Fisher, Screenwriter, well known for WEDDING CRASHERS and other hits

This panel features a moderated discussion with lawyers and professional screenwriters.  Bill Chais is a former lawyer turned Hollywood screenwriter.  Bob Fisher, famous for writing WEDDING CRASHERS among other Hollywood hits, once considered attending law school.  Robert Fyvolent has had a storied career first as an in-house attorney for a studio & distributor, and continuing as a producer, most notably of the Academy Award and Grammy Award-winning documentary sensation, SUMMER OF SOUL.  Their discussion will include legal issues facing Hollywood productions, such as licensing music and other intellectual property rights, and negotiations with talent.  The panel will also discuss aspects of the legal profession, like working as in-house counsel versus as a solo practitioner, and comparing a career practicing law versus as a creative in the entertainment industry.

11:35 am – 12:25 pm: Lunch Break

12:25-1:00 pm: Law and Major Sporting Events: General Counsels of the NFL and FIFA World Cup ’26

• Gabe Feldman, Sher Garner Professor of Sports Law; Paul and Abram B. Barron Professor of Law; Director, Tulane Sports Law Program; Co-Director, Tulane Center for Sport; Associate Provost for NCAA Compliance
• Curtis Franks (L ’05), General Counsel, FIFA ’26 World Cup
• Lee Goldsmith, Senior Vice President & Senior Media Counsel, NFL

What are the top legal, logistical, and business issues facing a major sporting event, like immigration, sponsorships, televised broadcasts, and negotiating contracts with local and international stakeholders?  This panel will answer that question in a discussion of the important points of hosting a World Cup across three different countries; and of hosting the world’s most-watched sporting event (and one of the most watched events of any kind), the Super Bowl

1:05-1:40 pm: Behind the Curtain: Inside Hollywood Projects from Start to Finish

• Eric Blevins (L ’11), Sports Law Program Manager, Tulane Center for Sport; Adjunct Faculty, Tulane Freeman School of Business
• Brian Burkin (L ’89), Executive Vice President, Sony Pictures, Columbia-TriStar, Head of Business Affairs, TriStar Pictures
• Shanon Muir (L ’03), Senior Vice President, Legal & Business Affairs, Warner Bros. Discovery

Learn how major entertainment projects get off the ground, how they are negotiated, and what it takes to get them over the line and on the screen.  Two senior business affairs executives in animation and film will take you inside the process of how they get projects from start to finish. Issues discussed include contracting, licensing, and working with talent.  The panel will also explore the nuances of negotiations in this industry; and what the future holds for television and film.

1:45-2:30 pm: Sports & Entertainment from Both Sides

• Warren K. Zola (L ’92), Carroll School of Management, Boston College
• Brandon Harrell (L ’11), Vice President, Legal & Business Affairs, Live Nation Entertainment
• Kimberly Haynes (L ’00), Attorney and Founder, OMBI Group
• Greg Luckman (A&S ’96), Co-President, Range Sports

Hear from panelists who have represented some of the top athletes and artists in sports & entertainment, and who have worked for some of the biggest sports & entertainment companies in the world like LiveNation and Harris Blitzer Sports Entertainment, which maintains interests in the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils, Crysal Palace FC, and more.  This session will discuss the biggest legal and business issues facing both sides today, including supporting athletes on & off the field; helping athletes & entertainers monetize their IP; media & content development; concerts & venues; sponsorships; and charitable foundations. The panelists will also discuss how lawyers & executives from each side can find common ground to drive their interests forward.

2:35-3:10 pm: Winning Off the Field: Investing in Professional Sports (sponsored by Tulane Freeman School of Business, Sports Management)

• Gabe Feldman, Sher Garner Professor of Sports Law; Paul and Abram B. Barron Professor of Law; Director, Tulane Sports Law Program; Co-Director, Tulane Center for Sport; Associate Provost for NCAA Compliance
• Jed Kaplan, Minority owner, Memphis Grizzlies and other sports properties
• Marc Reeves (L ’00; MBA ‘00), Investor and Advisor, Leeds United and other sports properties; Head of Global Strategic Partnerships, Fever

Sports properties are among the most coveted investments in today’s business world.  These panelists have extensive experience with investments across a multitude of sports, including the NBA, Premier League, e-Sports, and much more.  This discussion will survey the basics of investing in sports as well as deeper details on some of the legal and business concerns that investors face in the sports market, such as the influence of private equity and its introduction to the NBA and NFL; logistical, regulatory, tax, and other issues involved in investing in sports properties outside the United States; and projecting league and team valuations and growth.

3:10-3:15 pm: Closing Remarks

VIP/Speakers Dinner Sponsor

Networking Reception Sponsor

Supporting Sponsors

Friends of ESL