In 1993, Tulane University Law School created the first sports law certificate program in the nation. Its location in New Orleans, home to the the NFL's Saints and NBA's Hornets, provides students with easy access to professional athletes, teams and sports industries. Additionally, the area frequently hosts the Super Bowl, which attracts many of the premier names and executives in the sports world.
Sports law is just one concentration in a law school that is ranked 45th nationally, and it's a program that builds around a core curriculum of legal topics to ensure students are well-rounded in their legal educations. The sports law program features guest speakers from many of the world's top sports agencies, organizations and industry manufacturers.
Tulane University Law School
6329 Freret Street
John Giffen Weinmann Hall
New Orleans, LA 70118-6231
(504) 865-5930
law.tulane.edu
Marquette University Law School is home to the National Sports Law Institute, which is the only organization of its kind in the United States. Founded in 1989, the institute specializes in providing students with the unique experience of immersing themselves within the sports industry while studying law. As part of the program, Marquette Law School offers students with the most sports-related courses in the country and helps students network to create employment and internship opportunities within the legal field. In addition to a J.D. degree, Marquette also offers a joint JD/MBA degree in Sports Business for individuals seeking executive positions within the sports industry. Overall, Marquette Law School is ranked 87th nationally. Graduates of the law school are also exempted from sitting for the Wisconsin bar exam.
Marquette University Law School
Sensenbrenner Hall
PO Box 1881
Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881
(414) 288-6767
law.marquette.edu
In 1996, Fordham University School of Law School created the Fordham Sports Law Forum to capitalize on its prime sports-industry location. Although the school does not offer a specific sports law certificate, many of its sports law forum alumni have gone on to hold prominent positions within the industry. Officially, the sports law forum at Fordham is recognized as a student group. The event that separates Fordham from other sports law student groups around the country is the featured sports law symposium that it hosts annually. The symposium attracts many of the top practitioners and executives in the sports field, offering valuable networking opportunities for Fordham law students looking for career contacts. Overall, Fordham is ranked as the 30th best law school in the United States and offers both full-time and part-time legal programs.
Fordham University School of Law
140 West 62nd Street
New York, NY 10023
(212) 636-6000
law.fordham.edu