Symposium

Spring 2010 Sports Law Symposium – Friday, March 26, 2010

Labor Uncertainty in Sports: Operating in the Shadow of Upcoming Collective Bargaining Negotiations
In Honor of Professor Paul C. Weiler’s Career

The Spring Symposium was held on Friday, March 26, 2010.  We are pleased to present select video recordings from the event.

Click here to view a recording of the Sports Legacy Institute Kickoff Luncheon.
Click here to view a recording of the Keynote Address of Robert Manfred, Executive Vice President for Labor Relations, MLB.
Please note, QuickTime 7.6 Player or higher is required to view the video.
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The theme for the symposium is “Operating in the Shadow of Upcoming Collective Bargaining Negotiations.”  We hope that each of our panels and keynote address will shed light on the key issues facing each league as it approaches the expiration of its collective bargaining agreement. In addition to discussing the key issues that will need to be resolved to avoid a labor stoppage in each league, we will look to explore how the labor uncertainty is affecting current operations within each league, and how any sort of a labor stoppage might affect the short-term and long-term interests of each league.  In exploring each of these issues, we hope to draw from our panelists’ varied backgrounds to fully understand what is at stake for the leagues, teams, unions, players, and other entities close to the game.  The symposium will be open to the public, free of charge.

Sports Legacy Institute Kickoff Luncheon (12:00-1:00 – Pound 334/335)

  • Chris Nowinski, President and CEO, Sports Legacy Institute
  • Pete Kendall, NFL Player
  • Ted Johnson, Retired NFL Player
  • Isaiah Kacyvenski, Retired NFL Player
  • Christian Fauria, Retired NFL Player
  • George Atallah, Assistant Executive Director for External Affairs, NFLPA
  • Moderator: Professor Peter Carfagna, Harvard Law School

NFL (1:15-2:30 – Pound 101)

  • Adolpho Birch, Vice President of Law and Labor Policy, NFL
  • David Feher, Partner, Dewey & LeBoeuf
  • Neil Cornrich, President, NC Sports
  • Sarah Stuart, Senior Counsel, Reebok
  • Moderator: Professor Michael McCann, Vermont Law School

NBA (2:45-4:00 – Pound 101)

  • Jeffrey Mishkin, Partner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
  • Hal Biagas, Executive Vice President of Management, Wasserman Media Group
  • Michael Zarren, Assistant General Manager and Team Counsel, Boston Celtics
  • Robert Tilliss, CEO, Inner Circle Sports
  • Moderator: Professor Peter Carfagna, Harvard Law School

Keynote (4:15-4:45 – Pound 101)

  • Robert Manfred, Executive Vice President for Labor Relations, MLB

MLB (5:00-6:15 – Pound 101)

  • Daniel Halem, Senior Vice President, General Counsel for Labor, MLB
  • Derek Jackson, Vice President and General Counsel, Florida Marlins
  • David Prouty, Chief Labor Counsel, MLBPA
  • Timothy Slavin, Assistant General Counsel, MLBPA
  • Joseph Rosen, Partner, Brown & Rosen
  • Moderator: Jimmy Golen, Associated Press

Schedule

The tentative schedule of events is as follows:

Lunch – 12:00-1:00 (Pound 334/335)

NFL Panel – 1:15 – 2:30 (Pound 101)

NBA Panel – 2:45 – 4:00 (Pound 101)

Keynote Address – 4:15 – 4:45 (Pound 101)

MLB Panel – 5:00 – 6:15 (Pound 101)

Reception – 6:30 – 8:00 (Austin West Rotunda)

Paul C. Weiler Financial Aid Fund

Paul C. Weiler Financial Aid Fund at Harvard Law School has been established and was created by his students and colleagues, family members and friends in 2008.  Visiting Lecturer Peter A. Carfagna, a friend and colleague, was the lead donor and the organizer of this fund to honor Paul.  Other donors may contribute to the Paul C. Weiler Endowed Financial Aid Fund at any time in the future.  It is a need-based fund that will provide financial aid to students interested in sports and/or entertainment law.  This is an endowed fund so it will exist in perpetuity with the income only being awarded.  We have raised almost $500,000 to date.  The fund will be converted to a visiting professorship in Sports and Entertainment Law in Paul’s name when the funds raised reach $1.5 million.  Professor Weiler retired from teaching in 2007.  He taught at Harvard Law School for more than 25 years.  His career ranged from labor and employment to international law to ground-breaking work in sports and entertainment law.  He has touched the lives of hundreds of students, and the impact of his research and professional contributions will be felt for decades to come.