In addition to the law degree, Tulane (law.tulane.edu) offers a certificate program in sports law. Students in the sports law program complete the basic first year law courses, then move on to topics specifically targeted to sports law, such as sports law, negotiation and mediation and income tax law. Students in the sports law program have the opportunity to work on the "Sports Lawyers Journal" as writers or editors. In addition, students may take part in the Sports Law Society, which meets with influential figures in the field, or the Mardi Gras National Moot Court Competition, which tackles legal issues faced by the sports industry.
Marquette University (law.marquette.edu) also offers a certificate in sports law to its law school graduates. Admission to the sports law program is open to all Marquette law students. Certification candidates must prove their competence within the field by completing sports law coursework, holding a position at the "Marquette Sports Law Review" for one year and successfully completing a non-credit internship through the National Sports Law Institute. Students also have the opportunity to take part in the Sports Law Moot Court.
Located in New York city, a center for the practice of sports law, Fordham University (law.fordham.edu) offers an in-depth focus on the discipline, though it does not grant a specific certificate. In 1996, the law school created the Fordham Sports Law Forum, which publishes an annual journal as well as holding a yearly symposium to discuss current issues within sports law. Law students who attend Fordham for sports law will benefit from the school's extensive alumni network. Fordham Law graduates have gone on to work with professional sports teams, agencies and firms that deal with sports-related legal issues.
The University of Southern California (USC, lawweb.usc.edu) does not have a specific certificate program in sports law, but it remains one of the best overall law schools in that field, according to Top-Law-Schools. USC has a Sports Law Society, where students can meet and network with professionals in the field as well as receive career guidance and support. At USC sports law is blended with entertainment law, but the school offers at least 12 courses on related topics. Like Fordham, USC has a distinguished alumni network which actively assists recent graduates with placements in their fields.
Like New York City, Los Angeles is a center for the sports industry and sports law. In 2004, Loyola Law School (lls.edu) decided to increase its focus on sports law by opening the Loyola Sports Law Institute. The institute seeks to increase course offerings in the field of sports law within the school, eventually working toward a full-fledged certificate program. Loyola hosts annual symposiums on issues related to sports law, gathering field experts to discuss such issues as the legal implications of drug testing in sports and sports business in a difficult economy. The "Loyola Entertainment Law Review" also devotes one issue a year to sports law topics.