Mehri & Skalet’s sports law practice is broad and dynamic, and stems from the firm’s civil rights employment discrimination roots. Its work has ranged from assisting front office executives of color in the National Basketball Association with employment discrimination disputes to counseling former Negro League Baseball players on a variety of legal issues. And in the last decade, it has even significantly, and positively changed the face of America’s game: pro football.
In 2002, the firm began advocating for greater diversity among head coaches in the National Football League (NFL) and soon thereafter began working hand in hand with the NFL to achieve that goal. Since then, the firm has assisted in the organization of, and has served as counsel to, the Fritz Pollard Alliance (FPA) – an affinity group of coaches, scouts, and front office personnel of color in the NFL.
The results of this effort are already evident. In 2003 the NFL instituted the ‘Rooney Rule’ which required NFL teams to interview a minority candidate whenever a head coaching or general manager position became available. The benefits have been clear for minority candidates, in the 2011 offseason 3 out of the 8 head coaches hired were minorities, while 7 of the last 10 teams to appear in the Super Bowl had an African-American in either the head coach or general manager position. This demonstrates the mutual benefits that can be achieved through giving minority candidates a foot in the door, and provides a template for other industries.