Kaitlin Ray Ashner
Kaitlin Ray Ashner
Kaitlin Ray Ashner
Biography
Kaitlin is an associate in the firm’s Corporate Transactions practice group and Sports, Media & Entertainment Group.
Her practice is focused on representing clients in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic investments, commercial arrangements and general corporate matters. She also has significant experience in private equity transactions and company formation and governance. Her significant sports industry experience includes advising clients in connection with numerous investor-side acquisitions of stakes in professional sports franchises, including in the NFL, MLS, NWSL and English Premier League, and league approval and rules compliance matters in connection therewith, as well as collegiate sports matters (e.g., proposed investments, expansion/conference realignment).
She previously worked as a corporate legal intern in the Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner, a sideline reporter for the Los Angeles Lakers’ G-League affiliate, and an on-air college tennis analyst for the Big Ten Network.
Kaitlin received her J.D. from Duke University School of Law, where she graduated summa cum laude and Order of the Coif and was a recipient of the Justin Miller Citizenship Award. Prior to law school, she was a four-year starter and 2014 NCAA national champion tennis player at UCLA and represented Team USA at the 2015 World University Games in South Korea.
Civic Involvement & Honors
- Duke Law Alumni Association Board of Directors, New Lawyer’s Division Chair (2024-2025), Member (2021-2026)
Admissions
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Missouri, 2025
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California, 2021
Education
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Duke University, J.D., summa cum laude, 2021
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University of California-Los Angeles, B.A., summa cum laude, 2015
Related Capabilities
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M&A & Corporate Finance
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Private Equity
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Sports, Media & Entertainment
Experience
Matters noted below include those handled prior to joining BCLP.
- Advised numerous clients in connection with mergers, equity deals, acquisitions, carve-out transactions, joint ventures and commercial arrangements (including corporate and IP licensing documentation), including:
- Skydance Media in its proposed US$28 billion merger with Paramount Global.
- Fubo on its agreement with The Walt Disney Company to combine with Hulu + Live TV.
- Endeavor in connection with its sale of the Rio Open ATP 500 tournament to Mubadala.
- Endeavor in its sale of a majority interest in Endeavor Content to CJ ENM.
- H.I.G. Capital in its acquisition of RBmedia, a leading audiobook publisher.
- Mast-Jägermeister in its investment in Teremana, the tequila brand founded by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
- A sports, media and entertainment company in connection with its acquisition of certain cable networks and an over-the-top digital platform.
- Advised numerous clients in connection with acquisitions of control and non-control stakes in professional sports franchises (NFL, MLS, NWSL and English Premier League), including:
- Carlyle in its investment in Seattle Reign FC, an NWSL franchise.
- Dynasty Equity Partners in connection with a minority investment in Liverpool FC.
- Sixth Street Partners inits acquisition of Bay FC, an NWSL expansion franchise.
- An investor in connection with a minority investment in an NFL franchise.
- Investors in connection with minority investments in an MLS franchise.
- Advised various clients in connection with league approval processes and league rules compliance matters (NBA, NFL, MLB, MLS and NWSL), including:
- A private equity firm in connection with MLB ownership approval process.
- A private equity firm in connection with NBA ownership approval process.
- Various investors with team ownership approval processes (NFL, MLS and NWSL).
- A team owner in connection with NWSL equity and ownership matters.
- Various private equity firms in connection with ongoing league rules governance and compliance matters (MLB and NWSL).
- Advised various investors in connection with proposed investments in collegiate athletic conferences.
- Advised in connection with various food and beverage management arrangements relating to restaurants and arena facilities / concessions.