Winston & Strawn’s College Sports Practice Gains Widespread Media Attention

Winston & Strawn's announcement of a new practice group focusing on college sports has received extensive press coverage in numerous publications, including Bloomberg, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, and InsideCounsel.

College athletes, coaches, schools, and conferences are becoming increasingly vocal and litigious about the power of the NCAA. "For a long time, it has become increasingly obvious that the NCAA is, in many people's minds, out of control and that there are a number of entities – schools and coaches and athletes and others – who need protection," Winston & Strawn partner Jeffrey Kessler said.

The new practice, which is the first college-focused division at a major law firm, will be led by partner David Greenspan.

The firm's move to represent student athletes, coaches, and universities against the NCAA is "a natural extension" of the sports practice, Mr. Greenspan noted.

"We're the traditional go-to law firm for people adverse to leagues and associations," said Mr. Kessler, who has worked for the unions of all four major North American professional leagues. "We represent the players, the cities and municipalities, the sponsors and owners who are fighting with their leagues. We're not the firm that represents the powers."