Tulane Women in Sports Law Symposium highlights trailblazers in the industry

View PDF

Tulane Law hosted the 4th annual Women in Sports Law Symposium in a virtual format recently, with 16 women who are trailblazing in the industry.

Over the course of several panels over two nights, Tulane Law students and guests heard from those working in the sports industry on the pressing legal issues in sports, their paths to success in a male-dominated industry, and how students could network as they seek jobs in the industry. There were panels on college sports, player contracts, salary caps, in-house sports and law firms, and discussion of legal work in in-house sports teams.

"The Women in Sports Law Symposium is an opportunity for law students to see the importance of diversity and woman leadership in male-dominated spaces like the sports industry. The goal of this event is to spotlight and learn from the women who join us as accomplished lawyers and professionals in sports,” said Hannah Holmes (L’21), who organized the event with other Women in Sports Law board members, including third-years Sydney Tonic, Claire Allenbach, Nathalie Brick; second-year Sabrina Gretzmacher; and first-years Kayla Williams and Lizzie Snyder.

“Dominant female lawyers deserve to be recognized for their work. The Symposium provides an opportunity to highlight their work and achievements, while also connecting generations of change makers! The Symposium is a place of fellowship, mentorship, growth and development,” Holmes said.

The panels featured:

College Sports

  • Nina King (L’05), Senior Deputy Director of Athletics/Administration, Legal Affairs and Chief of Staff at Duke University;
  • Erin Adkins, Associate Athletic Director, Compliance at UCLA;
  • Erika Cheung (L’18), Associate Director, NCAA Compliance at Tulane University;

  • Robin Harris, Executive Director of the Ivy League.

Player Contracts and Salary Cap

  • Taylor Young, Football Administration Coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings;
  • Kirsten Grohs, Manager of Football Administration for the Atlanta Falcons.

In House- Sports Entities and Law Firms

  • Demeka Fields (L’16), Counsel, Global Sports Marketing, Data Privacy at New Balance;
  • Shauna DiGiovanni (L’15), Business Affairs Executive, Sports at WME;
  • Charline Gipson, Partner and Co-Founder at Davillier Law Group;
  • Traci Bransford, Attorney and Partner at Stinson LLP;
  • Rhea Loney (L’09), Head of Compliance at Penn Interactive Gaming.

In-House- Professional Sports Teams

  • Chelsey Antony (L’19), Staff Attorney for the Philadelphia 76ers;
  • Vicky Neumeyer (L’98), Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans;
  • Kaleisha Stuart, Deputy General Counsel for the Dallas Cowboys;
  • Kristin Stortini, Assistant General Counsel for the Baltimore Ravens.
  • Aurusa Kabani, Director of Legal Affairs for the Orlando City Soccer Club.

“We all left this year's Symposium feeling inspired by the panelists' willingness to engage with us and feeling compelled to pay it forward in the future. We are proud of how this event has grown and can’t wait for the years to come,” Holmes said.