Vernon M. Strickland practices law in the areas of general litigation, intellectual property and sports and entertainment.
In litigation, Mr. Strickland has federal and state court experience handling claims involving copyright, trade secret, product liability, employment discrimination, commercial disputes, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and real estate. Among other industries, he has handled cases in the entertainment industry and in the automotive industry involving dealers, manufacturers and lenders. Mr. Strickland has experience handling all aspects of litigation, including arguing and drafting motions, managing discovery, presenting at mediation, taking and defending numerous depositions, and conducting direct and cross examinations at trial.
Mr. Strickland also has significant appellate litigation experience, including oral argument before the Supreme Court of Georgia.
In the sports & entertainment industries, Mr. Strickland has represented and advised athletes, entertainers and companies. Mr. Strickland has sports industry experience in negotiating and drafting athlete endorsement contracts, licensing and trademarks, and on behalf of professional athletes, player contract negotiations, NFLPA grievance proceedings and fiduciary investigations. Mr. Strickland has also represented and advised music artists and executives in music publishing disputes and advised a major music company on key issues in an international manufacturing dispute.
A former professional athlete and engineer, prior to practicing law, Mr. Strickland was a mechanical engineer for a leading electronics manufacturer. Prior to that, Mr. Strickland played linebacker for the New York Giants, San Francisco Forty-Niners and the Berlin Thunder, where he was named “Defensive Player of the Week.”
Mr. Strickland's community involvement includes:
- board of directors of Camp Sunshine, a nonprofit organization devoted to enriching the lives of children with cancer and their families through recreational, educational and support programs
- board of irectors of The Law Pipeline Program, Inc, a non-profit organization helping to support and assist the South Atlanta School of Law and Social Justice in the academic and social growth and development of its students
- mentoring and volunteering through Georgia Tech Athletic Association and Coweta Communities and Schools