On September 14th, Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) students Brooke Gordon (3L) and Ricky Panayoty (4L) were invited to participate in an engaging discussion on the changing landscape of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights at the 2024 HBCU Classic between Morehouse College and Howard University. The event was organized by Professor Earl N. Caldwell, an Adjunct Professor at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, who played a pivotal role in founding the Different STEM Conference and NIL Competition at AJMLS.
The Different STEM Competition, which bridges sports, entertainment, law, business, branding, and marketing, challenges students to navigate the rapidly evolving NIL landscape. It is a testament to AJMLS’s commitment to providing an interdisciplinary approach to legal education.
During the event at MetLife Stadium, Gordon and Panayoty joined a discussion led by Traci Bransford, a distinguished attorney who heads the Sports & Entertainment Industry Team at Parker Poe. Traci’s practice focuses on transactional law, with particular emphasis on clients in sports, music, television, film, and publishing.
The conversation centered around the NCAA’s 2021 policy change that allowed college athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness through endorsements, sponsorships, and other ventures. Bransford provided an expert analysis of how this rapid shift has altered the legal landscape of college athletics.
Gordon and Panayoty contributed to the discussion by analyzing the fragmented regulatory environment created by varying state laws and institutional policies, which have led to disparities in how athletes can capitalize on their NIL rights. They also highlighted the growing calls for a unified federal standard to ensure consistency and equity in NIL opportunities across the nation.
The HBCU Classic, which brought together college students, prospective law students, attorneys, business professionals, and other industry leaders, provided a valuable platform for Brooke and Ricky to represent AJMLS and share their expertise on the future of NIL in college sports.
Both students expressed how honored they were to participate in such a distinguished event and felt proud to represent their law school.
This opportunity underscores AJMLS’s commitment to fostering the next generation of legal professionals who are prepared to engage with complex, real-world issues. The involvement of students like Gordon and Panayoty in cutting-edge discussions on NIL is a clear reflection of the innovative legal education provided at AJMLS.