Oregon Law’s unique, immersive—and now twelve years strong—Oregon Summer Sports Law Institute (SSLI) bolsters the education of law students from around the country determined to expand their expertise and gain a foothold in the sports law arena through careers with team organizations, leagues, athletic apparel companies, and sports business management and talent firms.
“The quality of the institute is genuinely really high. Guest speakers are willing to be part of it because they know the program, and how seriously we take it,” said Ryan Gauthier, who directed SSLI from 2022-2024 after taking the reins from founding director Professor Robert Illig.
Leigh Hawley, who is now event legal counsel for FWC2026 US, Inc.—better known as FIFA World Cup 2026—enrolled in the institute’s first-ever summer session in 2014 at a professor’s suggestion. She repeatedly returns as guest faculty to impart the knowledge she has gained in her legal career.
“People actually get immersed in what it means to be a true sports lawyer. It definitely takes a certain personality to go after it,” said Hawley, who also worked as general counsel for USA Skateboarding. “I think the program really introduces you to the dedication that it's going to take to commit because the professors are very open and honest about it.”
Distinguished Guest Faculty
SSLI offers a distinctive experience with a distinguished list of guest faculty—including experts affiliated with nonprofits and major governing bodies like the US Anti-Doping Agency and USA Track and Field, the nation's leading sport law scholars and educators, and practitioners at top law firms. Students dive deep into the business of sports law, learning a wide range of career-focused skills and subjects: negotiation, contract drafting, intellectual property, in-house counsel, regulation, employment, Title IX, reform, global governance, and name-image-likeness (NIL).
The University of Oregon’s connection to the business of sports law is unparalleled. Oregon is home to more than five hundred established sports sector businesses and organizations, including Nike World Headquarters, Columbia Sportswear, Adidas and On Running. The University and the City of Eugene host world-class sporting events year-round.
This makes Oregon Law a premier destination for sports law studies. “SSLI offers opportunities to put to practice some of the legal knowledge they gain in the program in a real world setting with world-class attorneys,” said Associate Professor David P. Weber, who directs Oregon Law’s Sports Law Program. Students collaborate with Nike attorneys before pitching their strategic insights to a mock investor consortium.
In 2025, SSLI students had the opportunity to work with members of Nike’s legal team who specialize in various areas of the law, from e-commerce and trade to corporate governance and intellectual property, They invested hours with SSLI students in a simulation exercise which included developing brand identity, pitching, and practicing the legal components for a mythical new WNBA team, including creating licensing agreements.
“We combined the doctrine and skills students learned throughout the Institute and then asked them to execute a project as a team using some of Nike’s legal resources. Hopefully it gave them an idea of what their life might be like working in-house for a major entity,” said Associate Clinical Professor Bryan Dearinger, who directed SSLI this summer. “There were deliverables for the students, and I think that made their experience even more rewarding.”
Oregon Summer Sports Law Institute Courses
Over the years, SSLI has developed into two distinct but complementary series: Professional Sports Law and Pathway to Practice.
The first is a distance course that introduces the legal frameworks governing professional leagues, college sports, and international bodies, providing foundational insights. The second has been held in person at the Knight Law Center in Eugene and goes beyond theory, with deep development of practical skills and access to major events and networking opportunities. Future considerations include a mix of hybrid and remote options in the second session.
The evolution of curriculum and projects, along with the interest from prominent sports law attorneys and industry experts in working with the students, speaks to the esteem sports law professionals have for SSLI.
“I think it shows the reputation that UO has for Sports Law and the staying power of SSLI,” Dearinger said. “It also provides insight into the growth that's possible in a program like this.”