The fall always makes me think of my career in collegiate sports (such as it was), as the competitive season reaches its peak. Now, my main connection to competition is through representing athletes, coaches, and sports organizations in various sports-related disputes. I am so lucky to have the chance to work in this area as part of a dedicated arbitration practice. My one most important comment for parents and athletes at this time of year: it is no mystery that the World Anti-Doping Code applies to Canadian athletes (including most university athletes) through its incorporation into the Canadian Anti-Doping Program. It is less obvious that the prohibited list includes commonly available substances and the Code offers little room for error, even those made in good faith or through simple carelessness. The Code is not constructed for quick and clean resolution after the fact; it is built for accountability and consequences. This can be a hard lesson for anyone caught unexpectedly in an anti-doping rule violation. Athletes, and especially student athletes, are (usually) not lawyers and have better things to do than pour over codes of conduct. But this is one area where athletes need to be thoughtful and cautious. Take the training seriously and when in doubt, seek the appropriate guidance before taking a risk. Mark Muccilli Rob Stefanelli #psa

The Bar Standards Board has published guidance for students who are due to graduate from their law degrees or GDLs this summer and plan to start Bar School in the autumn, but whose assessments and graduations have been affected by the ongoing industrial action and marking boycott by the University & College Union. You can find the guidance here: https://lnkd.in/emHSbhwR Its good news for students (for now) with the BSB saying this: "The BSB gives discretion to providers of vocational Bar training to allow students to enrol who have results pending from an undergraduate law degree or a Graduate Diploma in Law, on the understanding that (1) providers will satisfy themselves that students are likely to meet the normal admissions criteria, and (2) that both sides understand the risks and the consequences of the student failing the degree or the Graduate Diploma in Law. A student cannot be either Called to the Bar or progress to pupillage unless they have successfully completed both the academic and vocational components of training." #lawstudents #pupillage #barrister #barristers

The first time I ever taught a college level course was on this day 12 years ago. I was far too young (26 years old) and inexperienced (1 year out of law school) to be teaching a Sports Agency Management course (or really any class at all) to upper-level students at Indiana University Bloomington. But I was offered a once-in-lifetime opportunity and I would have been dumb as rocks to decline it. ⬆️ Rise to the occasion. Fear could have gotten the best of me. I could have easily passed it up and said I would wait until I was more ready. But when are we truly ready for anything in life? ⬆️ Rise to the occasion. I have found over and over again in life that, when opportunity strikes, you better be able to pounce. If you’re not prepared, then become prepared. If you want something, then do whatever it takes to get it. ⬆️ Rise to the occasion. Who knows if/when I would have received another chance to teach. So, I bet on myself, taught for 3 years at Indiana and have since taught many years at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and, more recently, Miami Law School. This wide-eye guy sporting a tie and a creepy monkey in the background 12 years ago made it happen. You can too. #LinkedInSports #teaching #opportunity

Join us for Birkett Long's Summer Term Education Conference tailored specifically for Independent Schools. Our conference is designed to provide school leaders—head teachers, governors, and bursars alike—with valuable insights and updates. The conference will be divided into two parts: the first will be a legal briefing on key strategic issues facing schools, along with legal and best practice updates on HR and employment law, safeguarding, parent contracts, data protection, and more. The second part of the conference will be an open forum discussion, during which attendees can discuss any legal or HR issues their school is facing with our specialist education and education employment solicitors and other attendees. For registration and further details on dates and locations, click here 👉 https://loom.ly/v7KZVFs #EducationLaw #EducationSolicitors #IndependentSchools

Busy weekend… My travels began in Atlanta on Friday with a legal seminar, I then made my way to Virginia, where I provided support for a single day, private pistol course. We had a great group of students, eager to learn, with a couple of our LE friends in attendance, willing to be vulnerable, and put in the reps on their own time - always a pleasure to see. I’ll be returning to Virginia this weekend, where the Concealed Coalition team expects to see over 300 students in our classrooms, across three cities. I’ve dubbed this the Virgina Tour, as this will be the fourth time we’ve ran three locations back-to-back, beginning in Fairfax, then to Richmond, with a final stop in Virginia Beach. In a few weeks, the Teufelshund Tactical crew expects a full class for our Advanced Pistol Operator Course, in North Carolina. LinkedIn hasn’t seen much activity from me this year, and you might be wondering why I’ve made this post today. Frankly, I’ve had a busy year. You see, the world continues to show us that it can be a dangerous place. Recent events, while heart wrenching, also motivate me. Each day I wake up, looking forward to the opportunity to learn something that I didn’t know yesterday. Whether you’re a student or a trainer, I hope you find it in yourself to do the same. If you’re seeking training opportunities that will empower you to manage risk during a crisis, I have solutions. #training #selfdefense #selfprotection #legallandscape #lawenforcement #youareyourownfirstresponder #family #familysafety #adultlearning

NEW WEBINAR: School Uniforms: Achieving Compliance with Legal Duties and New DfE Guidance 💻 This webinar will provide you with expert guidance on developing and implementing a fair and inclusive school uniform policy that meets the specific needs of your school or setting. Book your place here >> https://bit.ly/3Nbfuz1 #SchoolUniform #Guidance #Inclusive #Education

States continue to enact laws that override the NCAA’s #NIL rules and guidelines. Oregon is the latest and there are similar bills in other states currently making their way through the legislative process. Oregon’s law now allows NIL deals to be contingent on attending a specific university, allows universities to facilitate, enable, and support NIL opportunities for their athletes, and prohibits the NCAA from penalizing schools and athletes for engaging in activities allowed by the law. The law went into effect immediately last week upon it being signed by the governor. As I told Pete Nakos of On3 in the piece linked below, these state laws are examples of how the NCAA continues to be marginalized by other entities. https://lnkd.in/dmNZ8M4U #nameimagelikeness #ncaa #collegeathletics #collegeathletes #sportslaw

Here we go again. I'm working with a cosmetology apprentice candidate who has one THC conviction from 20 YEARS AGO. Read that again: ONE minor, 20-year-old conviction for pot. It will take months to get her licensed because of absurd, self-imposed Wisconsin Department of Safety & Professional Services nonsense. My candidate will have to obtain certified copies of the 20-year-old police report, and the 20-year-old court records. The time to approval will take months. Of course she will be approved. Meanwhile she can't start her new career because of bureaucratic overreach. There is nothing in WI law or WI Cosmetology Code or statute that requires this level of legal review of very old and isolated offenses. While I understand carefully screening applicants with a pattern of troubling alcohol or drug use, I'm not at all understanding why there is no "look-back" limit on ONE minor offense. Or why WI DSPS leadership believes they need certified copies of 20-year-old documents.