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Practice Area

Sports Litigation

Sports Litigation Attorneys

Drumheller, Hollingsworth & Monthy, LLP represents professional athletes, certified agents, and sports agencies in business disputes, criminal matters, and league disciplinary and other proceedings. Although the legal concepts and consequences for sports clients are like that for other clients, disputes in the sports industry are unique in at least three ways. First, most leagues require disputes involving their athletes and certified agents to be adjudicated by the league itself or league-sanctioned adjudicators. This means that different rules and procedures may apply to clients depending on which sport they happen to play or facilitate. Our sports attorneys have experience in disputes governed by a number of leagues and associations, including Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the NBA, and NASCAR. Second, many disputes are adjudicated in arbitrations and nontraditional venues, which require tailored advocacy experience. Third, because sports can capture so much passion and fan attention and often involve large amounts of money, even the most mundane civil or criminal matter involving an athlete or agent can present publicity and confidentiality challenges.

The sports litigation lawyers at Drumheller, Hollingsworth & Monthy, LLP have handled a wide range of matters involving the sports world, often under intense public scrutiny. We are one of the few firms with exceptional skill in each of the unique facets of sports litigation.

The types of sports-related proceedings our firm has handled include:

  • Certification Disputes with Leagues: Our in-depth understanding of the economic and labor structure that governs athletes and sports agencies has helped us successfully represent players and agencies facing certification challenges in league and union arbitration proceedings.
  • Team Disputes: Many sports lawyers are cast as either “team-side” or “athlete-side” advocates based on their biases and experience, but we have represented athletes, agents, and ownership. Our rapport and respect with teams and players means that our attorneys are capable of resolving disagreements between players, owners, agents, coaches, and other staff efficiently. 
  • Disciplinary Issues: In the highly-publicized world of sports, when alleged misconduct takes place on or off the field of play, reputations and lucrative contracts are at stake. We have successfully resolved sports disciplinary issues as soon as they occur.
  • Criminal Allegations: Because athletes are often public figures, law enforcement or governmental agencies may turn civil or disciplinary disputes involving sports figures into proceedings where the client’s liberty is on the line. We are uniquely qualified to handle matters where the criminal justice and sports arenas intersect.

Why Drumheller, Hollingsworth & Monthy, LLP?

We understand the pressure, the rule books, and the players involved in civil, criminal, and administrative sports litigation matters. The attorneys at Drumheller, Hollingsworth & Monthy, LLP are well-versed in the nuances of sports litigation, and we’ve handled cases across the country. Find out how our team of experienced lawyers can help today.

Case Studies

defendant

U.S. v. Clemens

Defense counsel for all-time great professional athlete prosecuted for perjury, obstruction of Congress, and false statements in connection with U.S. Congressional investigation of the use of performance enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball. The federal government deployed over 100 law enforcement officers and reportedly spent over $120 million to try to make an example of Mr. Clemens. The first federal jury trial ended in a mistrial after prosecutors violated a pre-trial ruling we won. The second federal jury trial lasted ten weeks and resulted in a complete acquittal of Mr. Clemens on all six criminal counts.

Plaintiff

Confidential: MLB Agency

Plaintiff’s counsel for Major League Baseball agency injured when several employee agents left to join a competitor. After a five-day confidential arbitration hearing before the MLBPA, the case was favorably resolved for a confidential sum.

Plaintiff

Confidential: NFL Player’s Agent

Plaintiff’s counsel for a prominent NFL player’s agent suing a global sports agency for millions of dollars in separation payments after the agent was allegedly and publicly terminated “for cause.” After discovery, a fifteen-day AAA arbitration hearing conducted in Missouri and California, and over 200 pages in post-hearing briefing, the arbitrator found that the agent was terminated “without cause” and awarded compensation to the individual agent exceeding $10 million.

Texas

Defendant

Confidential: Professional Sports Team

Counsel for professional sports team investigating allegations of misconduct by player. After conducting investigation and working with law enforcement, the allegations were determined to be unfounded.

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