Santa Clara Law Offering New Certificate in Sports Law

Santa Clara University School of Law will begin offering a certificate in sports law starting this fall.

The new certificate program is the only of its kind offered by Bay Area law schools, and among only a few available at California law schools. Students will engage in focused coursework, writing, and professional networking with sports-law practitioners while pursuing the certificate.

The program, which will be piloted for three years, will be supervised by adjunct professor of law Leonard Lun J.D./MBA ‘00, who previously worked for the San Francisco 49ers, San Jose CyberRays, Sacramento Kings, and The Walt Disney Company, and whose vision and leadership helped bring the program to the school. The program is specifically tailored to law students interested in careers in various facets of sports law, including business, contract, labor, antitrust, and intellectual property law; athlete representation; and more.

“This certificate program is a wonderful fit for Santa Clara Law, in an area of law that is growing in exciting ways,” said Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Laura Norris. “It draws upon our sports-rich location, our expertise in IP law, our connections among alumni athletes and sports-law professionals, and our ethical grounding as a Jesuit institution.”

Students pursuing the certificate will have the opportunity to:

• Develop a broad knowledge base in  relevant areas of law most likely to be in demand in the sports industry.
• Increase their marketability to teams, leagues, agencies, brands, and other potential employers.
• Network with sports-law practitioners and attend sports-law-related events.

“It is extremely exciting to see this new certificate come to fruition,” said Lun, who also represents professional soccer players through his sports agency, Upper V Athlete Management. “There is a lot of energy in this field, and our students are eager to learn and discover their place in sports law.”