Eschewing both football and labor-law expertise, the NFL Players Association has elected DeMaurice Smith of Patton Boggs as the union’s new executive director. The story is being covered on other law blogs.
We go beyond the surface here at Law Shucks.
Yes, Smith, pictured, left, was elected unanimously by the union’s 32 player reps. But did you know he beat out “the best lawyer in the nation?”
Find out who that is after the jump. Plus another overlooked BigLaw connection, after the jump.
One of the contenders Smith beat out was David Cornwell, pictured, right, who was previously Assistant General Counsel for the league. Cornwell (Tufts undegrad, Georgetown JD) is in private practice now, complete with fancy website. He was profiled by the Washington Post last year. But what’s really spectacular is his bio:
David Cornwell is widely recognized as the best attorney in the sports industry. His ability to advance his clients’ business interests has earned him the nicknames of the “Wolf” and the “Go to Guy.”
He concludes (in a painfully run-on sentence) his description of himself:
Whether it is negotiating employment contracts for coaches, sponsorship agreements for companies, endorsement agreements for athletes and entertainers, providing strategic business advice in connection with sports and entertainment ventures, or providing legal assistance for personal issues, Cornwell has developed a track record for winning that resulted in one of his adversaries conceding that he is the “best lawyer in the nation” on sports and entertainment issues and ESPN stating simply that Cornwell has a “brilliant legal mind.”
The other two contenders were Troy Vincent, a cornerback for the Dolphins, Eagles, Bills, and Redskins from 1992-2006, and Trace Armstrong, a defensive end for the Bears, Dolphins, and Raiders from 1989-2003.
The other, tangential BigLaw connection:
Smith’s most-frequent adversary probably won’t be too impressed by Smith’s BigLaw credentials. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s brother is Tim Goodell, an M&A lawyer who was on the executive committee of White & Case for years before recently joining Hess Corp as general counsel.
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wow – impressive deep dive, LS – getting the Cornwall and Goodell angles – very impressive. I bet Above the Law poaches that from you!
wow – impressive deep dive, LS – getting the Cornwall and Goodell angles – very impressive. I bet Above the Law poaches that from you!
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