Partner Named to ‘National Law Journal’ Trailblazers List

BCLP Partner Richard Young has been named to The National Law Journal’s list of Sports & Entertainment Law Trailblazers. The annual special supplement spotlights professionals who are agents of change in their respective practice areas.

Now in its third year, the Sport & Entertainment Law Trailblazers special section features honorees who advise on everything from sports betting legislation to A-list celebrity contracts. Rich was particularly singled out for his work with the World Anti-Doping Agency, including as lead draftsman of the World Anti-Doping Code and its subsequent amendments.

Rich’s background is in general litigation; however, he has particularly substantive experience in sports law. He has served as outside general counsel for national governing bodies and other professional and amateur sports organizations. His experience with sports-related disputes covers a broad spectrum, from commercial disagreements (media and sponsorship contracts, licensing and other rights issues) to athlete eligibility contests, disputes arising during the course of contests, and Article VIII proceedings under the Amateur Sports Act.

He is particularly well known in the anti-doping area, where he has handled high-profile cases for the World Anti-Doping Agency, the United States Anti-Doping Agency, the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority, the United States Olympic Committee, USA Swimming, the International Weightlifting Federation, and other Olympic National Governing Bodies and International Federations including, for example, cases against Floyd Landis, Lance Armstrong, Marion Jones, Chinese swimmer Sun Yang and players on the Essendon Australian Rules Football Club in Melbourne. He also participated in the investigation of state-directed doping in Russia before, during and after the Sochi Olympics and other high-profile anti-doping investigations.