Alex Utrup | Marquette University Law School

Name	Alex Utrup
Email	alex.utrup@marquette.edu \| 402) 802-6914
Year in School	2L
Where are you from (city, state)? and Where did you get your undergraduate degree (school, state - if you have an advanced degree as well include it)?	I'm from Lincoln, Nebraska and graduated from Hastings College in Hastings, Nebraska. I majored in Marketing and Sports Management.
Why was the Sports Law program a factor in your decision to attend Marquette?
The Sports Law program was one of the biggest factors in my decision to attend Marquette. After researching multiple law schools, Marquette stood out to me because of the Sports Law program. Other schools say that they have a comprehensive Sports Law program, however, Marquette stands out among the rest. I was impressed by the Marquette Sports Law program because of the Sports Law classes offered, the sports internships available to Marquette Law students, and the large community of the Sports Law program alums across the country. After committing to Marquette Law School, I attended a Sports Law program event in the summer before the start of my 1L year. At this event, I was introduced to various alumni and current students who provided their stories of the Sports Law program and how it has helped them get to where they are in their careers. After leaving that weekend, I knew I made the right decision to attend Marquette Law School and being apart of the Sports Law program.
How have you been involved in the program during your time at Marquette (interns, events, law review, competitions, etc.)?
The Sports Law program has a lot to offer to Marquette Sports Law students. Through the Sports Law program, I am able to develop practical legal skills through internships. I am currently an intern for the Wisconsin Herd in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, which is my second internship through the internship program. Prior to this internship, I was an intern for Gamebreakers & Sport$Biz Blog. Additionally, I am a member of the Marquette Sports Law Review and have applied for an editorial board position for next school year. I am also a member of the Marquette Sports Law Society and frequently attend events and meetings hosted by the society. I am very committed to the program as I attend most of the speakers and conferences that the NSLI hosts. I also competed in the Intramural Sports Law Negotiation Competition hosted by the Sports Law program and hope to compete in a national competition next year.
Has the program met your expectations? (i.e. did you make the right decision coming to Marquette?)	I am a firm believer if you can commit time and put effort into something, then you will reap the benefits of it. I have applied this thinking to the program, and I was placed into an internship which has opened up doors for other internships. The program has also put me in front of alums, sports lawyers, and other people in the sports industry that I can connect with and grow my social network. I have found out that the Marquette Sports Law program provides opportunities that cannot be matched.
What do you plan to do, either within the Program for the rest of your law school career, AND/OR, after you complete law school?	For the rest of my law school career, I plan to take the unique sports law courses Marquette has to offer. Additionally, I applied for the Marquette Sports Law Review editorial board, and I hope to compete in a sports law national negotiation competition next year. I will also be an extern for the NCAA Office of the Committee on Infractions in the upcoming summer. As for my post law school plan, I hope to be in the sports industry. Before attending law school, I wanted to work for an MLB team in their front office, but now I am keeping all options open, including collegiate athletics.