September 14, 2021 – Burr & Forman LLP is pleased to announce the launch of BurrSportsLaw.com as a resource center for college athletes. The site includes information about the name, image and likeness (NIL) rules adopted by the NCAA and several state legislatures and the firm’s 12-member, multidisciplinary sports law team. The team includes attorneys from a variety of legal and college athletic backgrounds, who provide counsel on marketing, licensing and other agreements. The team, which includes NFLPA certified contract advisors, has represented professional athletes in marketing and other deals, negotiated NIL contracts with NCAA coaching legends, represented professional sports organizations, and negotiated deals with major sporting television networks.

“The ability to sign lucrative endorsement deals presents amazing opportunities for student athletes from both premiere sports programs and smaller, non-revenue earning programs,” said Bill Lawrence, who leads the firm’s NIL team. “Our attorneys provide legal assistance that helps structure business deals fairly to further the athlete’s financial, brand and personal goals – both now and for the future.”

“In addition to our team’s experience handling marketing contracts and other agreements for athletes and coaches at both the collegiate and professional levels, our team includes former collegiate athletes who have a personal understanding of life as a student athlete and what success means,” Lawrence added.

The site hosts a Frequently Asked Questions section and NCAA Student Athlete Checklist addressing the wide range of issues students may confront in the NIL landscape, and it will provide updates on upcoming legislation and additional developments to watch.

The site also offers athletes a form to secure a free consultation with the legal team, which includes attorneys from across the Southeast and various practice backgrounds to provide comprehensive counsel throughout an athlete’s short-term and long-term NIL deal making strategy. While NIL rules only recently went into effect, the team has substantial experience negotiating on behalf of student athlete and sports agent clients related to licensing and regulatory issues under the regulations, NCAA compliance issues, and contractual issues.

Beyond their experience as practicing attorneys, the Burr sports law team includes multiple attorneys with first-hand experience of life in college athletics. Kermit Kendrick (Birmingham) was a four-year starter, All-SEC and All-American football player at the University of Alabama, and previously served as a compliance officer with the university’s Athletic Department. Chris Meyer (Jackson, Miss.) worked in the Mississippi State University Athletic Department while obtaining his Master’s in Sports Administration.

For the full microsite, please visit burrsportslaw.com.

About Burr & Forman LLP

For more than a century, Burr & Forman LLP’s experienced legal team has served clients at the intersection of business and government. With 350 attorneys and 19 offices across Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, Burr & Forman draws from a diverse range of industry experience and practice knowledge to help clients address their legal needs and achieve their goals.