In an article published by Law.com’s Daily Report on October 29, 2021 discussing AmLaw 200 law firms working to counsel student athletes in light of the new name, image and likeness (NIL) rules, Bill Lawrence is quoted on the new rules and the firm’s own NIL work (see www.BurrSportsLaw.com).

It has become increasingly inevitable that the NCAA would be forced to adopt NIL rules, especially as several state legislatures introduced bills addressing the issue in recent years. Lawrence told the publication those bills were primarily focused on protecting college and universities from recruiting disadvantages. The urgency for the NCAA to adopt NIL rules was accelerated when the Supreme Court unanimously ruled against the NCAA on June 21 in an antitrust case challenging the organization’s ability to limit payments to student athletes.

“Instead of passing substantive regulations that permitted NIL, the NCAA essentially just punted and adopted four or five very basic policies that addressed the NIL deals,” Lawrence said.

As for law firms addressing the new rules, Lawrence believes firms are just in the infancy of their involvement with the NIL and possibilities it presents. “It’s only going to grow as the companies who are engaging student-athletes learn more about the benefits of NIL deals and how to best structure them,” he said.

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