The roar of the crowd and the thrill of the pitch are not reserved for athletes alone—behind the scenes, a new generation of women is making its mark on the world of soccer, not with cleats, but with legal acumen. The University of Miami School of Law’s Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program is helping women forge their paths in the field of sports law, with recent students landing coveted positions at top soccer organizations across the globe.
This summer, five rising second-year law students—Michaela Baker, Caroline Larkin, Anne Boniface, Abby Wiener, and Olivia Arline—took their passion for the game to new heights. Baker, a former NCAA Division 1 college soccer player, interned with Inter Miami CF; Larkin with the New York Red Bulls and BeatStars; Boniface with CONCACAF, the governing body for soccer in North and Central America and the Caribbean; Wiener for Fort Lauderdale United FC; and Arline volunteered for the FIFA Club World Cup working with the brand protection team in Miami. Their journeys are emblematic of a broader movement: women leveraging legal expertise to influence the world’s most popular sport from the boardroom to the stadium and fueling its growth in the U.S.
The program’s sports track has become a launchpad for these trailblazers. Four of the students participated in the European Sports Law course in Madrid, gaining firsthand exposure to the legal intricacies of European football. “It was incredible to study the legal side of soccer in the heart of Spain, then apply that knowledge directly in my internship,” said Larkin, who will return to New York next summer as a summer associate at Kirkland & Ellis, one of the world’s leading law firms.
The program’s reach extends beyond current students. Last year, Lyana Steel, a J.D./LL.M. student, interned with FIFA as a World Cup legal intern in brand protection and interned at the National Women’s Soccer League Players Association during law school, while Sophia Burke worked at ER Sports Law, a specialized soccer law firm. Both women also represented the School of Law at the International Fútbol Negotiation Competition at Tulane, finishing as semifinalists, and co-founded the “Footy Files” podcast and newsletter, further amplifying women’s voices in the field.
In the last few years, a number of School of Law students have secured competitive externship, internship, and practicum roles within the soccer industry, including third-year J.D./LL.M. students Hannah LaBovick, who worked for the New York Red Bulls and CONCACAF, and Victoria Sisk at CONCACAF; and recent graduates Lauren Skidmore, J.D./LL.M. ’25, at the New York Red Bulls, and Hayley Tesser, J.D./LL.M. ’24, at Major League Soccer,. Additionally, most of these students have benefited from the soccer law course (which just completed its second edition) led by Emilio Garcia Silvero, FIFA chief legal officer, and Enric Ripoll, managing partner of Casas and Lacambra.
The impact of the school’s Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law (EASL) program is visible in the professional world as well. Alanna Sadler, a recent J.D./LL.M. graduate and former president of the Entertainment and Sports Law Society, is now associate counsel at Inter Miami CF; Genna Selesnick, a 2013 graduate, also serves as counsel at Inter Miami, demonstrating the School of Law’s long-term influence; Julianna Rubin, a 2021 J.D./LL.M. graduate, is currently the player personnel manager at Atlanta United FC and participated last summer in FIFA and the School of Law’s inaugural International Football Law Summer Campus program; and Andrea Littlefield, a 2023 graduate, is manager of player relations at Major League Soccer in New York.
School of Law alumnae also hold prominent positions at FIFA, which recently relocated its compliance and legal department to Miami, including Lynn Carillo, J.D. ’00, director for commercial legal, and Stephanie Roy, J.D. ’16, senior counsel of content and media.
For these women, the journey is about more than personal achievement—it’s about paving the way for others. “Being part of a community that supports women in sports law has been transformative,” said Boniface, who currently interns for soccer law firm Parmars Sports and volunteered last spring at the FIFA Football Law Annual Review held at the School of Law. “It’s inspiring to see how far we’ve come, and how much further we can go.”
“The EASL program’s emphasis on a practical skills curriculum, experiential work opportunities, mentorship, and global exposure has been key to its success,” said Greg Levy, associate dean and director of EASL. “Students have countless opportunities to learn from leading practitioners in the classroom, serve as liaisons for major conferences, participate in international competitions and courses, connect with alumni, and volunteer at high-profile events, building networks that extend far beyond the classroom.
“As the world of soccer continues to evolve, the presence of women in legal and executive roles is more important than ever,” he said. “The University of Miami School of Law’s EASL program is not just preparing students for careers—it’s shaping the future of the sport itself.”
From the pitch in Madrid to the boardrooms of Miami, Atlanta, and New York, these women are proving that the power of the game extends far beyond the field. With each contract negotiated and each legal challenge met, they are kicking down barriers and inspiring the next generation to follow in their footsteps.
Read more about the School of Law’s Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law area of study.
