Tulane Sports Law Blog

Alumni Profile: Marc Kligman

Education:
J.D., Tulane University Law School, 1995
B.A., The Johns Hopkins University, 1992

Extracurricular at Tulane:
Moot Court Board: Made ATLA National Trial Team as a 1L. Competed three years on team. Won Senior Trial competition. Public Interest Law Foundation (PILF) grant for work during summers at L.A. County Public Defender; represented inmates in parole hearings through Project for Older Prisoners (POPS), including one taped and aired on Court TV.

Biography:

Marc was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and grew up in Stamford, Connecticut, a city about 45 minutes north of New York City. Marc attended King School in Stamford, Connecticut, graduating with high honors and earning ten varsity letters in football, basketball, and baseball. Marc attended The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, graduating in the top quarter of his class while earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in both International Relations and Hispanic and Italian Studies.

While at Johns Hopkins, Marc played varsity baseball, worked as an Admissions Representative, and was a brother in the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity. After college, Marc went directly to law school and graduated with cum laude honors from Tulane Law School. At Tulane, Marc excelled in mock trial competitions; he was selected for the ATLA national trial team in his first year of law school and competed on the team each year of law school. Marc won the Phelps Dunbar Senior Trial Competition, a mock trial competition among all Tulane third-year law students. Marc worked on juvenile delinquency and dependency cases in Orleans Parish Juvenile Court under Professor David Katner and earned the highest grade in the Juvenile Litigation Clinic.

Marc passed the bar on his first attempt and was admitted to practice in California on December 12, 1995 and subsequently in United States District Court, Southern District of California, on July 26, 1999. Marc began his professional legal career as a deputy public defender for the County of San Diego, representing indigent persons charged with crimes. Marc founded Total Care Sports Management (TCSM) in 1998 and was certified as a player-agent by the Major League Baseball Players Association in 2000. In an effort to better build TCSM, Marc opened his own private criminal defense firm in June 1999 and has practiced criminal defense and represented professional baseball players since. During his years as a litigation attorney, Marc has been lead counsel on over 40 criminal jury trials.

Marc has superior negotiating skills, having negotiated multi-million dollar guaranteed major league contracts and seven figure amateur draft signing bonuses.

Marc has volunteered as a youth baseball coach for many years. From 1999-2004 Marc founded and managed the San Diego Aces, a wood bat summer team for 16-18 year olds, comprised of some of the top high school players in the county, many of whom now play professionally. These days, Marc volunteers his time coaching his sons' little league baseball teams and their other youth sports teams.

Marc holds a 1st degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, a Practitioner 4 Rank in Krav Maga, and enjoys playing basketball, golf, and running.

Marc is married to Laura, also an attorney, and they have been blessed with two sons (8 and 6) and a daughter (8).

Question and Answer:

What was your favorite class and/or professor at Tulane?
I liked many classes, but I think Criminal Law as a 1L with Professor Force solidified early in my law school career my aptitude and interest in that field and directed me on my initial career path.

What was your favorite thing to do in New Orleans? 
Listen to the live local bands.

What's your fondest law school memory? 
Earning a spot on the ATLA Moot Court trial team as a 1L. This introduced me to our alumni practitioner coaches and forced me to learn trial advocacy as a 1L. I found my love of trial work, and it was the springboard for me pursuing a career as a public defender out of school. Our practitioner coaches were Chris Aubert, David Schexnaydre, and Pat DeRouen, and they taught me how to really work up and try a case with all their tested techniques. We spent countless hours together, and the trips to Dallas, Palm Beach, and Los Angeles were great fun. This trial team helped me win Senior Trial as a 3L with my partner Andrea Hoeschen, and when I got to the public defender’s office, I knew how to completely try a case except picking a jury. I was so prepared.

Why did you choose Tulane?
It was one of the better ranked schools that accepted me. I loved the city and the campus.

What are the ways in which Tulane helped to prepare you for your career? Which courses and professors were the most important for you? 
I enjoyed contracts and remedies with Professor Fuller as well as Sports Law with Professor Gary Roberts. I had Professor David Katner for Professional Responsibility my 1L year and enjoyed that course very much. I joined the Juvenile Clinic my 3L year with Professor Katner and gained valuable real world case experience. The Clinic made my 3L year and prepared me in so many ways for my law career.

What made you want to work in sports law? 
I played college baseball, and so did my brother. We were a jock family and I always thought one day I would be able to blend my love for baseball and the law as an agent. This all came together in 1998 when I started representing players.

How would you describe a typical work day?
My day varies every day. Some days I’m on the road recruiting or visiting clients. Other days, I’m working through e-mails, doing research, ordering gear for players, working on deals, or taking care of any various crises that pop up. During the off-season, I’m very busy with arbitration cases, free agency, and draft recruiting.

What is the best part of your job? 
Depositing the checks.

What is the worst part of your job? 
The constant concern over ensuring clients are happy and well serviced.

What do you like best about your career? 
Being part of boyhood big league dreams.

If you could give one piece of career advice to current students, what would it be? 
ALWAYS be honest and forthright. Your reputation is your most valuable asset. Lots of people will do incredible things for you if they like you--you would be surprised. It’s not really about “who you know” as much as it’s about “how much you know” and “how you treat the people you know.”

What do you think a law student's biggest misconception may be about practicing sports law? 
It’s easy to get a job and it’s always roses.

What do you think is the biggest issue in sports law/business today? 
For baseball players, it’s performance-enhancing drugs. The big league season is a grind, you will see a decline in performance and abilities the more the game is cleaned up.

What do you think will be the biggest issue in sports law/business in 5 years? 
Keeping a fan experience at the ballpark/stadium to something Americans can afford. It’s a very expensive endeavor for a family of four to attend a game.

Which areas of the law are most germane to your practice? 
Labor, arbitration, right of publicity, contracts.

Alumni Profile: Marc Reeves

Education:
J.D., Tulane University Law School, 2000
M.B.A., Tulane A.B. Freeman School of Business, 2000
B.A., Kalamazoo College, 1995

Extracurricular at Tulane:
Associate Editor-In-Chief, The Sports Lawyers Journal

Biography:

Marc graduated from Kalamazoo College with a BA in Economics and Political Science and was a four-year member of the tennis team, NCAA Division III Champions in 1992 and 1993. Subsequently, he graduated from Tulane University with a JD/MBA, with specializations in Sports Law, Marketing and Management.

Upon graduation, Marc was hired by IMG where he served as Vice President of IMG’s Consulting Division responsible for client management and West Coast business development. In that role, he advised companies about global strategic direction and marketing activation around various sports and entertainment properties including the FIFA World Cup, Olympic Games, Rugby World Cup, NFL, MLB, NBA, and NASCAR. Prior to joining the consulting division, Marc was responsible for business development efforts of IMG-owned properties, including the US Open of Surfing, Sony Ericsson Open, Bank of the West Classic, Battle at Bighorn, Mervyn’s Beach Bash, and Deutsche Bank Championship. In addition, he was an initiating leader in the growth and development of emerging business areas of IMG, including Action Sports, Video Gaming, and Digital Marketing.

In 2010, Marc joined the NFL as the league’s first ever International Commercial Director. In this role, Marc oversees marketing, fan development, sponsorship, and commercial efforts for the league outside of the US.

Question and Answer:

What was your favorite class and/or professor at Tulane?
Sports & IP – Gary Roberts, Trial Advocacy – Jim Cobb. But, the Pro Bono program that I worked on--helping at-risk youth at Covenant House--had the most impact on me.

What was your favorite thing to do in New Orleans?
See fantastic live music throughout the city, including the Rebirth Brass Band every Tuesday night at the Maple Leaf. And absorb all of the characters and conversations while sipping the incomparable iced coffee at PJ’s.

What's your fondest law school memory?
There are so many. I believe that I was really fortunate to be in a class with a fabulous group of fellow students, which led to many lifetime memories and friendships.

Why did you choose Tulane?
The Sports Law Program. I wasn’t interested in any other school.

What are the ways in which Tulane helped to prepare you for your career? Which courses and professors were the most important for you?
I believe that Tulane’s balance of rigorous academics and engagement in the New Orleans community serve every student well. The most important courses and professors were all of the Sports law programs led by Gary Roberts, and the Intellectual Property classes led by Glynn Lunney. But, as importantly influential was fellow student Tandy O’Donoghue, who made sure that I was 200% prepared for my interview with the NFL Players Association, which kickstarted my career.

What made you want to work in sports law?
I was always attracted to the deal-making side of sports. And everyone that I admired in the industry, from commissioners to agents to marketers, seemed to have a law degree.

Describe your career path:
I had a number of internships in the industry – sports agency ProServ (now Lagardere Sports), NFLPA, and the New Orleans Saints -- before getting an internship with sports marketing and media agency IMG during my second summer. That led to being hired out of school, and I spent nine years there, becoming Vice President and leading the company’s consulting division on the West Coast. I was then recruited to become the NFL’s first International Commercial Director in 2010.

How would you describe a typical work day?
It depends where in the world I am. Overseeing our global growth, I can wake up literally anywhere in the world. But most of the time I am working with our team to find ways to engage with our current and potential fans around the globe, and working with our partners to help them leverage our assets in the most effective way possible.

What is the best part of your job?
Having the opportunity to take one of the world’s best brands and best products and expanding it around the globe.

What is the worst part of your job?
That there is not enough time in any day to accomplish what I want to do.

What do you like best about your career?
The fact that I get to mix my passions of global learning and sports deal-making.

If you could give one piece of career advice to current students, what would it be?
Follow your own heart to the path that make you happiest. And use your legal training to help you get there.

What do you think a law student's biggest misconception may be about practicing sports law?
“Sports law” itself isn’t a practice -it’s the application of various types of law across issues that involve sports. And the best “sports lawyers” are simply great attorneys applying their skills in these disciplines.

What do you think is the biggest issue in sports law/business today?
The changing media landscape and the management of digital rights, and these areas will continue to be significant for the next few years.

Which areas of the law are most germane to your practice?
Not to my practice per se, but Contracts and Intellectual Property are the areas that are most involved in my area of business.

Alumni Profile: Mike Tannenbaum

Education:
J.D., Tulane University Law School, cum laude,‘95
B.S., University of Massachusetts at Amherst, ‘91

Biography:

Mike Tannenbaum is entering his 16th season with the New York Jets, and since 1997, has served in a variety of administrative football management positions.  Currently, Tannenbaum serves as the team’s Executive Vice President/General Manager, with responsibility for managing football operations, including the coaching staff, overseeing pro and college scouting, and supervising salary cap management and contract analysis, video and football technologies, equipment, operations, training and medical personnel, training camp, and turf management.

During his tenure as General Manager, Tannenbaum has established himself as one of the most successful and respected leaders in football. In the six seasons since Tannenbaum took over as GM, the Jets have been a .500 or better team in five of those six seasons and have twice reached the AFC Championship Game. Furthermore, he has acquired eight players who've gone on to play in the NFL's Pro Bowl and structured some of the most innovative contracts under the CBA.

Prior to his current role, Tannenbaum served as the team’s Senior VP/ Football Operations/Assistant General Manager, overseeing the team’s pro personnel department and professional scouting, and serving as the lead negotiator for player contracts, as well as being responsible for the management and strategic planning of the Jets’ salary cap . Tannenbaum also was the team's Assistant General Manager/Director of Pro Personnel from 2001-03, the team’s Director of Pro Player Development/Contract Negotiations during the 2000 season, and the team's Director of Player Contracts from 1997-99.

Before coming to the Jets, the Needham, Massachusetts native graduated cum laude from Tulane Law School where he earned his certificate in sports law.  While in law school, Tannenbaum worked as an intern with the New Orleans Saints. Then, following his graduation from Tulane, Tannenbaum worked as a player personnel assistant with the Cleveland Browns in 1995 before returning to the Saints in 1996 as a Player Personnel Assistant.

In addition to his role as Executive Vice President/General Manager of the Jets, Tannenbaum was selected to the NFL General Managers Advisory Committee in 2008, appointed to the Board of Directors of the Sports Lawyers Association in 2008, and is also a member of the American Bar Association in the Sports and Entertainment division.

Question and Answer:

What was your favorite class and/or professor at Tulane?
Sports Law-Gary Roberts

What was your favorite thing to do in New Orleans?
Walk down in the French Quarter

What's your fondest law school memory?
Being accepted by the Saints as an unpaid intern while studying sports law

Why did you choose Tulane?
For the Sports Law program.

What are the ways in which Tulane helped to prepare you for your career, specifically which courses and professors were the most important for you?
Antitrust and Sports Law gave me real world experience from the people who handled the cases.

How did you land your internship with the Saints while attending school?
I was relentless--they said no at least six times before they said yes.

What was your job search process like during your 3L year, which eventually led to a position in the personnel department of the Cleveland Browns?
I sent a book of my free agent analysis to each team.

What would you consider to be your "big break" moment while you were trying to break into the sports industry?
Being hired by the Saints as a full time employee in January of 1996.

When you were in law school in ‘93, the NFL and NFLPA agreed to a new CBA, which implemented a salary cap. How important was that for you, as someone who at that time was trying to break into football?
I was lucky—I was in the right place at the right time; I tell that to students all the time

What made you decide to leave the Saints to take the position of Director of Player Contract Negotiations with the Jets in ‘97?
It was a dream to work for Coach Parcells.

How would you say your negotiating style has evolved over the years?
I’ve become more patient and a better listener.

As a GM, how would you describe a typical work day?
7 to 7; I try to plan as much as possible, but I put out a lot of fires throughout the day.

What is the best part of your job?
Winning, and seeing a disparate group of people come together

What is the worst part of your job?
Losing--because you feel like you did everything you can to win, and it is a disappointment.

Do you think that there is a misconception in the NFL about those on the football side of the front office who come from a legal background?
I don’t worry about that; I just try to do out-work and out-prepare my competition.

If you could give one piece of career advice to current students, what would it be?
Be the first one in and the last to leave, the answer is always yes with a smile, and that is half the battle to be successful.