The Firm: Proskauer Rose has deep and long-standing relationships with all the major leagues in US sport, and regularly represents them across the full breadth of their legal needs. One of the key reasons behind this group's ongoing success is the depth and caliber of its bench, which includes seasoned sporting attorneys with corporate, litigation and labor expertise. It is difficult to pick one area of strength over another, but perhaps the best illustration of Proskauer Rose's standing in sport is its role advising the NFL, NBA and MLB on the negotiation of their collective bargaining agreements with their respective players' unions.

Commercial Awareness: "The quality of their lawyering and the sheer depth of their sports experience are unrivaled."

Key Individuals: Co-head of the sports practice, Howard Ganz is acknowledged as "preeminent for sports labor issues." He has served as the principal outside labor counsel to the NBA for over 30 years, advising the league on its collective bargaining negotiations with the players' and referees' unions, among other things. Commentators enthuse about his "experience, wisdom and incredible pragmatism," while clients delight in the fact that "you know you're speaking to the smartest guy in the room - he knows the industry inside out." His fellow cochair Joseph Leccese is "one of the leading corporate transactional lawyers in the sports practice." In addition to his role at the head of the sports group, Leccese is also the chairman of the firm. Commentators remark: "Leccese is such a great big-picture attorney, that you should really talk to him for advice on anything to do with sport." Robert Batterman is another of the group's leading sports labor attorneys. Batterman's focus is labor counseling to the NHL, MLS and the NFL, with respect to collective bargaining and related litigation. Jon Oram is a corporate practitioner with a considerable sports focus. He regularly represents sports leagues, teams, and sports investors across the full range of acquisitions, financings and licensing transactions. Sources concur that "he is outstanding at negotiating and drafting agreements, and his speed and stamina are extraordinary." Bradley Ruskin cochairs the sports group, and heads the litigation side of the team. Clients praise him as "among the most talented litigators out there - his legal smarts and solid instinct for the law are really beyond compare." Corporate partner Wayne Katz focuses on advising sports leagues and teams on their transactional work. He recently counseled the NBA on its purchase of the New Orleans Hornets.