NFL Players Association Leader to Headline Symposium on Sports Law

February 21, 2012 — DeMaurice Smith, the executive director of the National Football League Players Association, will be the keynote speaker at a March 16 symposium at the University of Virginia School of Law on the current state of sports law.

Smith, a 1989 graduate of the Law School, led the NFL players in 2011 through a 134-day lockout by the league, culminating in a 10-year collective bargaining agreement.

Smith's talk will be the keynote address of the symposium, "The State of Sports Law," to be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Caplin Pavilion. It is sponsored by the Virginia Sports and Entertainment Law Journal and the Virginia Sports Law Society.

The symposium will bring together a number of leading lawyers and experts dealing with professional and amateur sports. Panel discussions will explore topics such as the realignment of NCAA conferences, the legal implications of financial distress in professional sports, amateurism and the student athlete, and sports law analytics.

"We are thrilled to have such a distinguished and varied group of panelists attending this year's symposium," said second-year law student Caroline Ryon, one of the organizers of the symposium. "This event will allow the Virginia Law community and our guests from throughout the region to explore some of the highly relevant sports law issues of today. We hope that attendees will be able to further their passion for sports by learning more about some of the legal intricacies of the industry."

The symposium is free and open to the public. Parking will be available in the Law School's D-2 lots on the day of the event.

To see a complete schedule and register, click here.