A League of Their Own

Partner Anthony Mulrain, who co-chairs Holland & Knight's Sports Law and Entertainment Law teams, was featured in an American Bar Association (ABA) Journal article profiling prominent sports industry lawyers and sharing their career journeys. Mr. Mulrain recounted that unexpected connections brought him into sports law after his paralegal asked him to share advice with her sister, who turned out to be Tichina Arnold, one of the stars of the TV show Martin. He then became Arnold's entertainment lawyer, and five years later she introduced him to professional basketball player Dwight Howard, the No. 1 pick in the 2004 NBA Draft. From there, his client list grew to include Justin Upton, a top pick in the 2005 MLB Draft, and Cam Newton, the first overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. By now, Mr. Mulrain has represented an impressive roster of eight No. 1 overall draft picks and athletes with 23 NBA titles, three Super Bowl victories and 17 Olympic medals. He said he handles "the entire gamut" with professional athletes, sports teams, leagues and agencies, assisting them with matters ranging from venture capital and private equity investments to other business activities, one distinct venture being Carmelo Anthony's wine company. This broad range of experience enables him to understand what parties in a deal value and how he can best achieve their objectives.

"I've got a 360-degree view to what everybody at the table is thinking, and I've found those things, along with a mix of a transactional and litigation background, to be really helpful," he explained.

READ: A League of Their Own (ABA membership required to read)