Students from the University of Florence have arrived at Miami Law for the start of a joint-curricular program focusing on comparative sports law in collaboration with Miami Law’s Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law LL.M. program. The Italian students spend the last week of January participating in Professor Peter Carfagna 's "Representing the Professional Athlete" course alongside Miami students; Miami students will travel to Florence in March.
Understanding All Aspects of Professional Athlete Representation
The program, facilitated by Associate Dean and EASL Director Greg Levy and EASL leadership, provides students with an understanding of what a career as a sports agent/attorney for a professional athlete entails.
The program specifically focuses on the challenges and duties of an agent/attorney by addressing critical legal doctrines related to athlete representation, intellectual property law, labor law, and contract law. Additionally, the course explores the skills necessary to conduct sports-related contract negotiations.
Kick Off Week 1 in Miami in January
During the first residence week in Miami, students team up and, by week's end, engage in an organized team-building session where they decide on a final presentation topic, such as broadcast rights, amateur to professional status, or representation of athletes.
The topic acts as a focal point as the students work remotely together over the following months to develop a presentation.
“We are excited to launch the Miami-Florence Sports Law Program,” says the University of Florence Law Professor Leonardo Ferrara. “It is a great opportunity for our students to be hosted in such a prestigious university and to participate in Peter Carfagna’s week course.”
Lectures + Final Presentations Week 2 in Florence, Italy
When the Miami students travel to Italy, they will participate in comparative lectures on topics covered in the Miami course and present their final presentation with their team in Florence, Italy.
Looking towards the second part of the program, Ferrara says, “Attending the first session has been thrilling. We have been impressed by the case-study method and the passion of Professor Carfagna and are enthusiastic to begin the comparative group work.”
Comparative Elements of Italian and American Sports Law
Through exposure to the comparative elements of Italian and American sports law, the uniquely designed joint-curricular program provides students with the theoretical foundation and practical application of law as applied to the sports industry globally.
“It is my great honor to welcome to Miami Law’s Sports Law/EASL program the most well-respected sports law professors and students from all of Italy,” said Carfagna.
“We hope and trust that, by engaging in this exemplary and innovative curricular program, they will learn as much from us about U.S. sports law as I am sure we will learn from them about international sports law when we reciprocate with a visit to the University of Florence’s Sports Law program this March."
More on Entertainment and Sports Law at Miami Law
