Summary

M&S provides sports industry professionals a full range of services - from contract negotiation to representation in proceedings before arbitration panels and state and federal courts.

The firm's sports law practice has developed from the firm's civil rights employment discrimination roots.

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 in pursuing 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.

M&S’s sports discrimination practice is broad and dynamic. In addition to the firm's representation of the FPA, 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.

In addition, the firm's extensive interaction with professional sports leagues and teams ideally positions us to represent athletes in negotiations of all sorts with their employers and potential employers.

Report - Black Coaches in the National Football League: Superior Performance, Inferior Opportunities (5MB - PDF)