Jonathan Amoona has successfully represented the top sports agents and agencies in the world in high-stakes litigation and arbitration, and his clients include Klutch Sports Group, MVP Sports Group and William Morris Endeavor. Also a leading lawyer in the industry for transactional work, Jonathan has negotiated nearly $200 million in guaranteed compensation for sports agents across all major sports, including agents at William Morris Endeavor, Athletes First, Octagon, and CAA.

Jonathan also regularly represents the National Football League Players Association and NFL players. In connection with these representations, Jonathan served as counsel in the Bounty, Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, Tom Brady and Ezekiel Elliott litigations and arbitrations. Jonathan has also served as counsel on behalf of the National Basketball Players Association, NBA players and has represented scores of other professional athletes in adversarial proceedings. 

Experience

Representative Matters

• Ben Simmons v. Philadelphia 76ers.
  Jonathan represented NBA All-Star Ben Simmons in an action brought against his former team, the Philadelphia 76ers, for, among other things, breach of the NBA collective bargaining agreement.

• Excel Sports Management v. Eric Eways and Klutch Sports Group.
  Jonathan represents Klutch Sports Group in an action brought by Excel Sports Management seeking an injunction to prevent its former marketing employee from working at Klutch.

• Guden v. Stanford University.
  Jonathan represented a group of Stanford University athletes in an action seeking to enjoin Stanford from terminating eight of its varsity sports teams.  The action ultimately led to the reinstatement of the eliminated teams.

• Searcy v. National Football League Players Association, et al.
  Jonathan represents the NFLPA in action brought by a prospective NFL agent challenging the Union’s Regulations Governing Contract Advisors.

• Major League Baseball Player and Player Agent Arbitrations.
  Jonathan has represented several high-profile baseball players and agents in arbitrations under the Major League Baseball Players Association’s Regulations Governing Player Agents.

• Green Bay Packers v. Bennett.
  Jonathan represented NFL Tight End Martellus Bennett in a proceeding brought against him by his former Club, the Green Bay Packers, for alleged breach of the NFL CBA.

• Elliott v. NFL.
  Jonathan represented Dallas Cowboys Running Back Ezekiel Elliott in arbitration and federal court proceedings challenging the six-game suspension imposed on him by the NFL for alleged violation of the League’s Personal Conduct Policy.

• Brady v. NFL (“Deflategate”).
  Jonathan represented New England Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady in arbitration and court proceedings challenging his four-game suspension imposed by the NFL for his alleged role in the so-called “deflategate” scandal.
• Hardy v. NFL.
  Jonathan represented Dallas Cowboys Defensive End Greg Hardy in his appeal of his ten-game suspension for alleged violation of the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy.
• Peterson v. NFL.
  Jonathan represented NFL Running Back Adrian Peterson in arbitration and court proceedings challenging his NFL suspension.
• Rice v. NFL.
  Jonathan represented Ray Rice in his appeal of his indefinite suspension imposed by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
• NFLPA v. NFL (“Contempt”). 
  Jonathan represented the NFLPA in a contempt proceeding brought against the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell for violating the District Court’s order in Peterson.
• Rice v. Baltimore Ravens.
  Jonathan represented Ray Rice in a grievance proceeding against the Baltimore Ravens challenging Mr. Rice’s termination by the Club.
• NFLPA v. NFL (“Personal Conduct Policy”).
  Jonathan represented the NFLPA in a grievance challenging the NFL’s new Personal Conduct Policy as a violation of the parties’ collective bargaining agreement.
• Miller v. NFL.
  Jonathan represented NFL Linebacker Von Miller in a proceeding against the NFL and the Denver Broncos concerning the League and the Club’s attempt to recover a portion of Mr. Miller’s signing bonus.
• New England Patriots v. Fanene.
  Jonathan represented NFL Defensive Lineman Jonathan Fanene in an action brought by the New England Patriots to recover Mr. Fanene’s signing bonus.
• Vilma v. Goodell.
  Jonathan represented the National Football League Players Association and NFL players Scott Fujita, Anthony Hargrove and Will Smith in connection with federal court proceedings in the Eastern District of Louisiana challenging NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s arbitration award affirming the players’ discipline for their alleged roles in a “pay-for-performance/bounty” program at the New Orleans Saints.
• New Orleans Saints “Pay-for-Performance/Bounty” Program CBA Arbitrations.
  Jonathan represented the National Football League Players Association and NFL players Scott Fujita, Anthony Hargrove and Will Smith in arbitrations under the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement challenging Commissioner Goodell’s imposition of discipline against the players for their alleged participation in a “pay-for-performance/bounty” program.
• Anthony v. NBA.
  Jonathan represented Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Caron Butler, Baron Davis, Kevin Durant and nine other NBA players in an antitrust lawsuit against the NBA and NBA teams challenging the legality of the NBA’s lockout imposed on all NBA players.
• Brady v. NFL.
  Jonathan represented Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Vincent Jackson, Ben Leber, Logan Mankins, Peyton Manning, Von Miller, Brian Robison, Osi Umenyiora, and Mike Vrabel in an antitrust lawsuit against the NFL and NFL teams challenging the legality of the NFL’s lockout imposed on all NFL players.
• NBA v. NBA Players Association.
  Jonathan represented the NBPA, Derek Fisher, Keyon Dooling, James Jones, Matt Bonner, Maurice Evans, Roger Mason, Jr., Chris Paul, Theo Ratliff, Etan Thomas, Amar’e Stoudemire, Mike Dunleavy, James Fredette, and Charles Jenkins in a declaratory judgment action filed by the NBA.
• NFL Players v. Upper Deck.
  Jonathan represented the NFLPA and NFLPI in a breach of contract action against Upper Deck.
• Pryor v. NFL.
  Jonathan represented NFL Quarterback Terrelle Pryor in his appeal challenging the propriety of his five-game suspension issued by the NFL.
• White v. NFL (Broadcast Revenues).
  Jonathan represented the White class and the NFLPA in a proceeding challenging the NFL’s negotiation of its national TV contracts.
• White v. NFL (Collusion).
  Jonathan represented 246 NFL players in a proceeding against the NFL and its member clubs arising under the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement.
• Baldwin v. IMG.
  Jonathan represented top sports agent in a declaratory judgment action filed against his former employer.
• The Source Enterprises, Inc. v. Bowe Industries Inc. 
  Jonathan represented the Source magazine in a Lanham Act/Trademark infringement case against Bowe Industries stemming from a violation of the Source’s trademarks in connection with the sale of unauthorized apparel.

Honors & Awards

In 2022, Jonathan was recognized as a Next Generation Partner in The Legal 500 US for Sports Law. 

Jonathan was listed in The Best Lawyers in America® 2022-2023 for Sports Law. 

In 2021, Jonathan was selected as a member of Sports Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” list, which honors the top young executives in the sports industry.

In 2020 and 2021, Jonathan was named a “Next Generation Partner” in Sports Law by Legal 500.

In 2018, Jonathan was named one of the top four sports lawyers under 40 by Law360.

In 2014, Jonathan was named to Forbes Magazine’s 30 Under 30 Sports List, which honors the 30 “brightest stars” in the sports industry under the age of 30. He was joined on the Forbes list by, among others, LeBron James, Rob Gronkowski, Maria Sharapova, and Kevin Durant.

In December 2014, Jonathan was selected by Forbes Magazine as one of three 30 Under 30: Corporate Climbers. Forbes recognized Jonathan as “one of sports law’s rising litigators,” citing his work on the Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson matters.

Jonathan was recognized by Super Lawyers from 2014-2020 as a “Rising Star” in the area of Entertainment & Sports.

Winston & Strawn’s Sports Law group has been recognized by U.S. News and World Reports - Best Lawyers “Law Firm of the Year” in Sport Law for 2012-2013.

Law360 has honored Winston & Strawn as “Practice Group of the Year” in the Sports category for 2017.  

Credentials

Jonathan earned a B.S., magna cum laude, in Communication from Cornell University in 2006, where he received the Excellence in Communication Award and was a member of the Academic All-Ivy League Team. He received a J.D., cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center in 2009, where he was the Executive Editor of the Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics.

Publications & Speaking Engagements

Publications

• “After Further Review: How the Eighth Circuit’s Misinterpretation of the Norris-LaGuardia Act Fumbled the District Court’s Ruling in Brady v. NFL,” 1 Berkeley J. Ent. & Sports L. (2012).
• “Top Pick: Why A Licensed Attorney Acting As A Sports Agent Is A ‘Can’t Miss’ Prospect,” 21 GEO. J. Legal Ethics 599.

Speaking Engagements

• Panelist, “How New Media and Evolving Audience Demands Affect Sports Law,” 11^th Annual Sports & Entertainment Law Symposium, Georgetown University Law Center (February 9, 2018)
• Guest Lecturer, Adelphi University, Sports Law (September 2015)
• Panelist, “Solving Football’s Off-Field Crisis,” 4^th Annual Sports Law Colloquium, NYU Law School (April 3, 2015).