Trade, Sports & Professional Associations

Weekly Briefs: Skirts-only dress code gets rehearing; ex-judge reprimanded for ‘sexual innuendo’

En banc 4th Circuit will rehear school dress-code case The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Richmond, Virginia, has granted an en banc rehearing to consider a challenge to a skirts-and-dresses-only dress code for girls. A 4th Circuit panel ruled in August that the girls attending the Charter Day…

Oct 22, 2021 4:07 PM CDT

Can Brazilian jiujitsu curb police violence? HBO’s ‘Real Sports’ takes a look

People in high-pressure occupations often find themselves in dangerous situations. Sometimes that danger rears its head via emotional exhaustion, mental health issues or physical outbursts of aggression. When individuals spend the majority of their time in a high-stress environment, it’s sadly far too easy to allow that stress to manifest…

Sep 22, 2021 10:04 AM CDT

Sports gamblers tried their luck with courts long before betting became legal

The National Football League just kicked off its new season. The opening week’s games were played against a backdrop of widespread legalized sports wagering. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that the activity, which is permissible in 32 states and the District of Columbia, is poised to generate revenue of about $4 billion in the U.S. this year.

Sep 14, 2021 3:03 PM CDT

Litigator calls ‘trickery’ allegations ‘ludicrous’ in spat with NFL team’s ex-general counsel

The litigator who led a National Football League investigation into sexual harassment at the Washington Football Team is denying a claim by the team’s general counsel that she used “trickery” to learn the details of a 2009 confidential settlement, according to redacted legal filings unsealed Wednesday.

Sep 9, 2021 12:32 PM CDT

9th Circuit orders lower court to review decision over accessibility at baseball stadium

A federal appeals court on Wednesday ruled in favor of plaintiffs who alleged that spectators using wheelchairs at T-Mobile Park, the home of the Seattle Mariners Major League Baseball team, had inadequate sightlines under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Sep 3, 2021 9:14 AM CDT

HBO’s ‘The Scheme’ looks at corruption and college sports

I was an athlete when I was younger, playing baseball and football all through school. Even now, I still love the mental and emotional clarity physical activity brings. More than that, though, sports allow me to set aside time to share a common bond with the ones near my heart but distant in location. I cherish the group FaceTime calls with my pops and cousins (who live in Texas) as we complain about the Dallas Cowboys on a beautiful fall afternoon, for example.

Jun 10, 2021 12:20 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: MLB faces federal lawsuit for moving All-Star Game; entertainment lawyer starts singing career at 92

Atlanta business group sues MLB for moving All-Star Game Job Creators Network, a conservative organization that represents small businesses, is suing Major League Baseball for moving the July All-Star Game out of Atlanta. In a 21-page complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York…

Jun 2, 2021 3:16 PM CDT

In defense of the team: What basketball and law practice have in common

March Madness is over for one more year, and I will miss it. It is not as if I know a lot about basketball, and I can hear my son say, “Mom, why are you writing about basketball?” He knows I never played the game, and Title IX came much too late for me. But that does not keep me from being a devoted fan.

Apr 27, 2021 10:49 AM CDT

As madness moves through March, SCOTUS considers NCAA case over athlete compensation

Just days before the March Madness tournament crowns a champion, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in a high-stakes battle between the National Collegiate Athletic Association and a legal class of student-athletes from the top revenue-producing sports of football and men’s and women’s basketball.

Mar 25, 2021 2:01 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Judge orders negotiation on ‘race-norming’ claim in NFL case; judiciary considers amicus disclosure

Judge tosses challenge to ‘race-norming’ in dementia tests U.S. District Judge Anita Brody of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has dismissed a lawsuit challenging “race-norming” in dementia tests used to determine which retired NFL players qualify for compensation in a concussion settlement. Brody said the league and the class counsel…

Mar 9, 2021 3:03 PM CST

Supreme Court will consider restrictions on compensation for college athletes

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to consider whether restrictions on compensation for college athletes violate federal antitrust law.

Dec 16, 2020 2:03 PM CST

Florida lawyer is charged with trying to extort NFL player

The managing partner of the South Florida law firm Ford, Dean & Rotundo has been charged with asking a former NFL player to pay off his clients to change their testimony in a robbery case.

Nov 18, 2020 3:29 PM CST

Afternoon Briefs: These BigLaw firms get ‘A’ ratings on climate change; lawyer settles athlete fraud claims

Only 4 BigLaw firms get ‘A’ ratings in climate change fight A group called Law Students for Climate Accountability is giving an ‘A’ grade to only four large law firms for work on behalf of clients mitigating climate change. A-rated firms are Cozen O’Connor; Schulte Roth & Zabel; Sheppard, Mullin,…

Oct 2, 2020 4:25 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Top state court criticizes former justice; more law firms reverse pay cuts

Top state court criticizes disciplined former justice The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Tuesday criticized Cynthia Baldwin, a former justice, after she said an affidavit, if true, shows “bias and vindictiveness” in the discipline case against her. The statement by four justices who disciplined Baldwin said their reprimand “was based not…

Sep 10, 2020 4:39 PM CDT

ABC’s ‘The Last Defense,’ Monday morning quarterbacks and the practice of law

Every attorney has faced the proverbial Monday morning quarterback at some point. If you’ve never heard the term before, it usually indicates a person who critiques an event, situation or decision after the fact.

Aug 27, 2020 9:36 AM CDT