Building a Successful Sports Law Practice: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

(While Following the Rules of Professional Conduct)

 

 

Attorney Scott Andresen

founder, Andresen & Associates, Legal Counsel for Businesses, Entrepreneurs,

Sports and Entertainment Professionals and more, Chicago, Illinois

 

Scott A. Andresen is the founder of Andresen & Associates, P.C., a Chicago-based law firm that focuses its offerings in the areas of sports law, entertainment and the arts, and intellectual property. The firm also has a strong focus in the startup and small entrepreneur space, addressing the legal needs of new and emerging business owners.

Prior to founding Andresen & Associates, Scott served as in-house legal counsel for the Arena Football League. He also worked for the legal department of the Oakland Raiders, and served as Legal Assistant to the Executive Director of the Illinois High School Association.

Scott earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, his Doctor of Jurisprudence at the Valparaiso University School of Law, and his Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. Scott also studied at Cambridge University in England under United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg.

When he is not practicing, Scott is a sports law instructor in Northwestern University's Masters of Sports Administration program. He also provides legal insight and commentary on sports law and sports business topics to national television, radio, print and online media outlets, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Tampa Bay Tribune, Seattle Tribune, Reuters, Associated Press, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Bleacher Report, ESPN.com, VICE.com, Hungton Post, Courthouse News Service and AskMen.com.

Scott's ardor and tenaciousness has resulted in him being spotlighted by his peers and the media. He is a three-time recipient of the "Rising Star" designation by Super Lawyers in Entertainment and Sports and has a perfect 10.0 AVVO.com rating.

 

 

Summary:    Whether starting a practice out of law school or after several years of working for someone else, it quickly becomes clear that graduating at the top of your class or being a successful attorney does not automatically equate to being successful at building and operating a law practice--especially in the ultra-competitive world of sports law. This presentation will take you through the 15-year journey of one sports law practitioner, with practice tips and cautionary tales offered along the way, all done with specific focus on practicing law following the rules of professional conduct.

 

Topics:       

1. Starting off at Zero (Clients). Coming Out of the Safety of In-House Counsel

1. Creating a Solid Business Foundation

1. Stick to What You Know: Be a Master, Not a Jack

1. Building a Client Base: The Cautionary Tale of a Homeless Television Golfer

1. Marketing and Personal Branding: Don’t Fake it Until You Make it

1. Know When to Hold Em’ and When to Fold Em’: When is it Time to Fire a Client?

1. It’s Not About You: Confidentiality of (High-Profile) Client Matters

1. Representing Clients in Other States

1. The Difference Between Billing and Getting Paid

1. Growing Pains

1. The Work-Life Balance

1. Miscellaneous Observations and Conclusion

 

Resources:  

Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct*

• Rule 1.2 (Scope of Representation and Allocation of Authority Between Client and Lawyer) (Wisconsin Supreme Court Rule 20:1.2)
• Rule 1. 3 (Diligence) (Wisconsin Supreme Court Rule 20:1.3)
• Rule 1.5 (Fees) (Wisconsin Supreme Court Rule 20:1.5)
• Rule 1.6 (Confidentiality of Information) (Wisconsin Supreme Court Rule 20:1.6.  Confidentiality)
• Rule 1.7 (Conflict of Interest: Current Clients) (Wisconsin Supreme Court Rule 20:1.7. Conflict of interest current clients)
• Rule 1.16 (Declining or Terminating Representation) (Wisconsin Supreme Court Rule 20:1.6)
• Rule 3.6 (Trial Publicity) (Wisconsin Supreme Court Rule 20:3.6)
• Rule 5.5 (Unauthorized Practice of Law; Multijurisdictional Practice of Law) (Wisconsin Supreme Court Rule 20:5.5)
• Rule 7.1 (Communications Concerning a Lawyer’s Services) (Wisconsin Supreme Court Rule 20:7.1)
• Rule 7.2 (Advertising) (Wisconsin Supreme Court Rule 20:7.2)
• Rule 7.3 (Solicitation of Clients) (Wisconsin Supreme Court Rule 20:7.3)
• Rule 7.4 (Communication of Fields of Practice and Specialization) (Wisconsin Supreme Court Rule 20:7.4. Communication of fields of practice)

*Wisconsin Supreme Court, Rules of Professional Conduct for Attorneys sections listed in parens, with full names if different from Illinois rule.