Sports and Entertainment Law

Our approach is that of a consultant and advisor to the sports and entertainment clients whom we represent.  Schwartz Cooper is a full service law firm and the firm is able to handle matters for our clients in a broad variety of areas.  We are committed to giving each of our clients personal service and we work to develop each of them as though they were each a separate business entity.  We believe that this approach to client relationships distinguishes us from others in the industry and that we are better positioned to add value to our clients in all areas of their financial life.

Client Representation and Contract Negotiation

Schwartz Cooper is experienced in negotiating player contracts in both in the U.S. and for athletes playing in leagues overseas.  We are licensed contract negotiators for the NBAPA, the WNBAPA and the NFLPA.  

Marketing and Public Relations

We believe that establishing a personal marketing plan is essential to enhancing a client’s visibility outside of their professional arena, developing a favorable image in the community and building significant name recognition.  Avenues that we utilize to enhance our client’s visibility outside of their professional arena include:

(i)        Personal Appearances/Speaking Engagements

(ii)        Print Campaigns       

(iii)       Television and Radio Commercials

(iv)       Charity Events

(v)        Endorsements

Business Opportunities  

We counsel our sports and entertainment clients as though they are each their own separate and distinct business entity.  To this end we engage each client as though they are the CEO of their company and we assist them in creating additional business opportunities for themselves with an eye toward the day when their playing days are over.  We pursue opportunities for our clients in keeping with their image and values. We work with advertising agencies, promoters, consultants and major corporations in the cities where each client is recognized to maximize their earning potential.  We further assist our clients in all aspects of their financial life, including providing advice with regard to the buying and selling of real estate, automobiles and other business assets.

Individual Tax Planning and Related Financial Services

Of equal importance to our sports and entertainment clients is individual tax planning and general financial consultation.  To this end, we counsel our clients covering their long and short-term financial goals, the preparation of the appropriate tax returns, budgeting, risk management, retirement planning and assistance with the creation and development of 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit Organization and projects.

Estate Planning

We are actively engaged in providing estate planning and business succession planning services to individuals and families throughout the United States and the rest of the world. Each client and family presents a unique set of personal and financial circumstances that require a carefully tailored estate plan. By taking an innovative, interdisciplinary approach to estate planning, we have been able to address our clients’ business and personal needs in a way that minimizes future income, estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer taxes -- maximizing the benefits to an entire family while serving the individual needs of family members.

We assist our clients in formulating and implementing their planning objectives not only through wills, trusts, and powers of attorney, but also sophisticated leveraged asset transfer techniques and asset protection devices such as irrevocable life insurance trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts, family limited partnerships, and intra-family sales.

Business and Tax Planning

Our attorneys are involved in a number of industry-related organizations, and we are well-versed in the specialized tax rules governing particular industries. Our company has extensive experience in the tax planning and structuring of limited and general partnerships, limited liability companies, sole proprietorships, syndications, public and private charitable organizations, and joint ventures, as well as “C” and “S” corporations.

The depth of our Business and Tax Planning practice is partially significant for our sports and entertainment clients.  Numerous business opportunities will present themselves with varied levels of sophistication.  Such transactions require the type of sophisticated legal counsel and expertise that our attorneys can provide. Our experience is an essential asset to our ability to counsel our clients in all aspects of their financial life.