POWER PANEL: Agent Greg Genske ’98, former Golden State Warriors player Adonal Foyle, former Oakland Athletics president Roy Eisenhardt, former NBA players union executive director Billy Hunter ’71, agent Leigh Steinberg ’73, and agent Craig Fenech ’73
blurred lines between athlete and entertainer representation, and social media’s impact on branding. Reed Smith partner Miles Cooley ’99 has represented Rihanna, 50 Cent, and Jay-Z and seen the latter branch out to represent athletes and become part owner of the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets. “Jay-Z embodies this confluence of different aspects of culture,” Cooley said. “Sports are part of the nomenclature of hip-hop, which has helped him excel on different platforms.” While acknowledging social media’s minefields, Cooley gathering draws all-stars to campus touted its marketing importance. “Our clients want to use Twitter, Instagram, and similar vehicles to ports law giants at the top of their promote their brands,” Cooley said. “It’s a game tackled many hot-button issues direct pipeline to their fans.” April 3 during the spirited 2015 Over lunch, general counsels from the Berkeley Law Sports Law Conference. Warriors (David Kelly), Pac-12 Conference Fittingly, the event took place in the (Woodie Dixon), and Seattle Seahawks (Ed University Club high atop Memorial Goines ’92) formed a panel with Oakland Stadium. The all-star lineup included iconic Raiders associate counsel John Yow ’09. football agent Leigh Steinberg ’73, general Goines characterized team general counsels managers Bob Myers and Pete D’Alessandro as “traffic cops. You get hit with everything of the Golden State Warriors and and anything.” Yow concurred, saying “day to Sacramento Kings, former National day, you could be dealing with sponsorship Basketball Players Association Executive agreements, human resources, salary cap Director Billy Hunter ’71, and Major League issues … you never know what’s coming.” Soccer President Mark Abbott ’89. Success, panelists noted, champions the Leaders of the Berkeley Journal of long view. Goines described how a longstandEntertainment and Sports Law organized the ing Seattle nail salon was illegally selling a conference with Berkeley Law’s Alumni Seahawks-trademarked item. Center. The journal hosted a smaller confer“We could have sent a cease-and-desist ence last year, planting the seed for a more letter that said, ‘Stop using our logo,’ ” he said. robust event. “We wanted to provide a “But that would show we’re being hard-liners medium for students interested in the law with a small shop that’s established in our and business of sports, and a platform for community. Instead, we contacted the shop them to engage with people in that world,” and politely educated them on proper versus says Nick Brokaw ’15, the journal’s outgoing unauthorized use of our trademarks. They editor-in-chief. were appreciative and respectfully stopped One panel examined the increasingly
Sports Law Conference Steps Up Its Game
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ELLIAN RAFFOUL FOR MOANALANI JEFFREY PHOTOGRAPHY
Expanded