Timothy O'Brien

Understand legal aspects of game day protests involving the national anthem

The increasing number of protests during the national anthem by student-athletes and others associated with athletic contests during the last two months has resulted in a renewed focus on the legal implications of these actions and on the ability to regulate such conduct.

Improve safety, decrease liability by investing the time in reassessing security at your school's sports arenas, stadiums

Mass shootings in movie theaters and malls and terrorist attacks in crowded venues have unfortunately become part of our reality, both here and overseas. The tragedy in Paris even included an attack on a crowded soccer stadium — although it was thwarted, fortunately.

Raise awareness about legal risks connected to involvement with daily fantasy sports sites

You almost cannot watch a sports event on TV anymore without seeing repeated advertisements for DraftKings and FanDuel. The big question, of course, is how can these sites get away with what appears to be unlawful online gambling. The answer is that the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, 31 U.S.C. § 5361, et seq., has an exception for fantasy games that are based on a players knowledge and skill rather than pure chance, among other things.

Protect department from infractions by taking note of lessons learned from Syracuse case

The decision issued by the National Collegiate Athletic Associations Division I Committee on Infractions involving Syracuse University serves as a timely warning of the importance of academic integrity, institutional control, and the responsibilities of a head coach.

Prepare to handle the new world of ‘full cost of attendance’

In the aftermath of this years NCAA Convention, college athletics administrators have become immersed in discussions about the financial impact of the change allowing colleges to award the full cost of attendance when structuring the financial aid packages for student-athletes.

Gain insight into legal implications of Northwestern case

College athletics departments should pay close attention to the legal implications of cases that involve the hotly debated, highly controversial topic of the employment status of college student-athletes.

Take time now to focus on re-evaluating your academic services

Many colleges and universities have increased their investment in academic services for student-athletes in recent years. New and upgraded facilities, better equipment and programs, and increased staffing levels reflect the importance of these services to the overall success of individual teams and the athletics department as a whole.

Deal effectively with complaints of sexual violence

Between the Office for Civil Rights’ recent “Dear Colleague Letter,” the recent publication by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and the publicity surrounding sexual assaults at the collegiate and professional sports levels, the issue of sexual violence has been catapulted to the forefront of the sports world.