The University of Miami School of Law is known for its strength in business and transactional law and the related areas of entertainment and sports law. The LL.M. in Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law (EASL) is known for its academic rigor and practice-based and innovative simulation-oriented courses taught by leading industry practitioners and faculty.
That innovative, practice-driven approach aligned with FIFA’s 2023 decision to relocate its Legal and Compliance Division to Miami, opening new avenues for collaboration between the organization and the School of Law.
Academic collaborations: FIFA and the School of Law EASL
At the center of that relationship has been Emilio García Silvero, FIFA's chief legal and compliance officer, who serves on the law school’s EASL Advisory Board. He is also an adjunct faculty member who teaches Soccer Law, along with Enric Ripoll, CASES LACAMBRA Managing Partner in Miami. García Silvero also organized a FIFA-EASL Soccer Law Simulation course this past spring.
The Soccer Law class provides an overview of the structure of organized international soccer, the extent of FIFA's jurisdiction, the rules of procedure under the FIFA Football Tribunal, and the appeals before the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Students also learn the rules of player transfers and the regulations governing soccer agents. In 2024 the class even welcomed FIFA president Gianni Infantino to speak with students.
“We are incredibly grateful to be located in Miami, at the center of the global sports and entertainment industry, and for the outstanding partnership we have with FIFA,” said EASL LL.M. program director Greg Levy.
Through coursework, mentorship, and direct engagement with FIFA professionals, students gain exposure to the complex legal landscape shaping international soccer at the highest level.
Law alumni in leadership roles at FIFA
That relationship has been further strengthened by School of Law alumni serving in leadership roles throughout FIFA.
Among them is Lynn Carrillo, J.D. ’00, director of commercial legal at FIFA and a past recipient of the School of Law's Law Alumni Association Alumni Achievement Award in 2025. Carrillo has been instrumental in strengthening the connection between FIFA and the law school through mentorship, student engagement, and support of numerous academic and professional initiatives.
Patricio Varela Laso, LL.M. ’24, was appointed head of agents at FIFA just one year after graduating, exemplifying the rapid career trajectory made possible through the program.
They are joined by a cohort of School of Law alumni contributing across FIFA’s Miami office including Francisco Larios, J.D. ’11, senior legal counsel disciplinary; Stephen Chang, J.D./LL.M. ’24, legal counsel, ethics; and Ana Lombardia, LL.M. ’16, corporate legal counsel—demonstrating the expanding influence of School of Law graduates within the global soccer ecosystem.
Preparing students for the World Cup stage
The impact of the FIFA-School of Law partnership is perhaps most visible in the experience of current students and recent graduates working directly with FIFA and on FIFA World Cup 2026.
Sophia Burke, J.D./LL.M. ’25, is a member of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Future Leaders Program and has supported FIFA’s World Cup 2026 legal team as preparations accelerated toward this historic summer.
Jacob Painter, J.D./LL.M. ’25, has spent nearly a year working as a FIFA postgraduate commercial legal clerk, contributing across multiple business verticals tied to the World Cup.
Current J.D./LL.M. student Rodrigo Grillo is a FIFA legal intern and has already gained experience within FIFA's Judicial Bodies division and will continue to contribute throughout the tournament this summer; and rising 2L Daniel Diaz, is also serving as a summer associate with the FIFA Commercial team.
Together, these students and recent graduates represent a growing pipeline of School of Law talent gaining hands-on experience at the highest levels of international sport.
Convening the industry's most important conversations
Beyond individual placements, the School of Law has established itself as a gathering place for many of the most important conversations shaping the future of soccer.
In 2025, the EASL LL.M. program co-launched the International Football Law Summer Campus with FIFA and welcomed leading soccer lawyers, executives, regulators, and academics through the Football Law Annual Review (FLAR), presented by FIFA and hosted on campus, creating rare opportunities for students to engage directly with the individuals shaping the sport worldwide.
For years, the School of Law's Global Entertainment and Sports Law + Industry Conference has served as a leading platform for discussions surrounding soccer’s rapid growth, and recent programming focused on the legal and business realities of hosting the World Cup in North America. Panels featuring FIFA leadership and key stakeholders have explored the full scope of issues involved in delivering one of the world’s largest sporting events—from sponsorship and intellectual property to compliance and operations.
Most recently, the 2026 conference convened senior legal leaders from FIFA World Cup 2026, offering students an inside look at the complex framework required to bring the tournament to life.
Impact on the game beyond 2026
As soccer continues its unprecedented growth across North America, the School of Law and its EASL LL.M. program have emerged as a central point for conversations, education, partnerships, and professional development opportunities shaping the sport's future.
“We cannot wait to see the continued impact our students, alumni, faculty, advisory board members, and partners will have as the world's game takes center stage this summer,” said Levy. “After the World Cup concludes, we will continue to work with industry partners to ensure the delivery of a practice-oriented curriculum with the lawyers leading the industry and create professional development opportunities to launch careers of future industry professionals.”
Through its collaboration with FIFA, engagement with organizations such as CONCACAF and Inter Miami CF, and a rapidly expanding network of alumni working across the global game, the law school is preparing the next generation of lawyers and executives to lead in this increasingly complex, international industry.
The momentum extends beyond the law school. The University of Miami was recently named an official Miami World Cup 2026 Host City Supporter, reinforcing the institution's broader commitment to community impact as the tournament arrives in South Florida.
As the 2026 FIFA World Cup unfolds across North America, members of the School of Law community will not only be watching from the stands—they will be contributing behind the scenes, helping shape the legal, commercial, and operational success of the world’s most watched sporting event. From classrooms to boardrooms, its graduates are playing a direct role in the global growth of the game, positioning Miami as a lasting center for sports law and business long after the final whistle.
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