Miller Canfield

Overview

Miller Canfield’s sports law practice is led by Joe Vernon, an experienced commercial litigator who has served as lead counsel in arbitration proceedings and state and federal courts across the country. He also acts as an arbitrator in disputes seated across the country. And he is a business advisor who is consulted on key strategic initiatives, has directed and managed numerous internal investigations, and frequently counsels on public relations and crisis management issues.  

Joe leads a sports practice that advises on contract, endorsement, intellectual property, doping, and league and governing body rules issues, and represents athletes and front-office personnel in related disputes. In the professional football space, Joe has advised and represented coaches and front-office personnel in contract negotiations and in team and league related disputes.  And in the athletics space, Joe has advised and represented athletes facing whereabouts and other alleged doping violations. 

Miller Canfield’s labor and employment practice, led by Brian Schwartz, has decades of experience handling Title IX and other compliance reviews for many higher education clients. His Higher Ed team has defended numerous Title IX gender equity lawsuits in federal court challenging universities’ difficult decisions to eliminate NCAA sports.

Miller Canfield attorneys have also defended class action challenges alleging violations of Title IX relating to athletics; handled investigations and on-campus audits conducted by the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights; and defended Title IX and due process lawsuits relating to alleged sexual misconduct allegations. Miller Canfield attorneys have also handled NCAA compliance reviews and represented high school athletic associations.