Winston & Strawn Successfully Represents Four Minor League Baseball Teams

Winston & Strawn recently represented four professional minor league baseball teams – the Gary SouthShore Railcats, the Winnipeg Goldeyes, the Kansas City T-Bones and the Fargo Redhawks – in their successful efforts to transfer their franchises from the Northern League of Professional Baseball Teams (NL) to the American Association (AA). After the four teams indicated their desire to switch leagues, the remaining members of the NL threatened litigation to enforce various clauses in the teams' agreement with the NL so that the firm's clients could not move to the new league for the 2011 season and alleged significant monetary penalties. The Winston team, led by partner Jim Herbison, assisted the teams in negotiating a settlement and severance agreement. The four teams have been accepted as members of the American Association for the 2011 season.