Michael L. Buckner Law Firm
1000 West McNab Road
Pompano Beach, Florida 33069
mbuckner@michaelbucknerlaw.com
954-941-1844
954-941-1846 FAX
RESOURCES for Athletics Administrators
HIGH PROFILE ATHLETES & THIRD PARTIES: Practices & Services
SUITE OF COMPLIANCE AND INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES
The Michael L. Buckner Law Firm offers NCAA Division I institutions a unique suite of legal, investigative and consulting services designed to proactively identify, monitor, audit and investigate issues involving high-profile athletes and third-parties. The firm offers you over 25 years of collective intercollegiate athletics, interscholastic athletics, legal, consulting and investigation experience. In fact, our college sports team (which includes licensed attorneys, a licensed private investigator, former athletics administrators and a former university president) applies its collective experience and knowledge to provide institutions with a targeted solution to NCAA compliance and enforcement issues involving high-profile athletes and third-parties.
What is a High-Profile Athlete?
A high-profile (or “blue-chip”) student-athlete describes an individual who is: a “one and done” basketball student-athlete; a prospect who is listed on one or more national recruiting service rankings (e.g., Rivals 250, Scout 300); a student-athlete who generates significant attention from professional scouts, athlete agents, runners, sports marketers, representatives of the institution’s athletics interests (boosters) and/or professional teams; a student-athlete who is projected to be a finalist for, or has already earned, a major national athletics award (e.g., Heisman Trophy, Walter Camp Award, Maxwell Award, Naismith College Player of the Year); a student-athlete who is projected to be selected in a low round of a professional sports league draft (e.g., Rounds 1-2 of the NBA Draft, Rounds 1-3 of the NFL Draft); an athlete with an academic and/or athletics history that cannot be verified through a cursory evaluation (e.g., international prospects).
Who are Third-Parties?
A third-party is any person who maintains (or directs others to maintain) contact with a prospective or enrolled student-athlete, the prospect’s or student-athlete’s relatives or legal guardians, or coaches at any point during the prospect’s or student-athlete’s participation in athletics, and whose contact is directly or indirectly related to the prospects’ or enrolled student-athlete’s: athletic skills and abilities (collegiate or future professional); recruitment by, or enrollment in, an NCAA institution; and/or projected professional sports career. For example, third-parties can describe sports agents, street agents, sports marketers, financial advisors, runners, parents/legal guardians, boosters, high-school coaches and AAU/amateur club coaches.
The Suite of Services:
High-Profile Due-Diligence Reviews
The Michael L. Buckner Law Firm is available to assist NCAA member institutions with conducting due-diligence for prospective and enrolled student-athletes. Through the firm’s comprehensive due-diligence service, an institution receives a report noting whether a high-profile prospective or enrolled student-athlete complies with NCAA legislation. For instance, we can review a high profile prospect’s academic and athletics histories in the context of NCAA legislation. Further, we can assist an institution with monitoring and conducting due-diligence to confirm high-profile enrolled student-athletes (including the student-athletes’ parents, family and significant others) comply with NCAA legislation, especially in the areas of amateurism and awards and benefits.
High-Profile and Third-Party Compliance Programs
The Michael L. Buckner Law Firm is available to assist institutions with developing proactive solutions to address an athletics department’s most pressing compliance needs relating to high-profile athletes and third-parties. In particular, our experienced professionals can support athletics departments with complying with NCAA regulations by evaluating athletics operations and processes, as well as developing effective compliance systems. For example, we:
- Design compliance programs, policies and procedures addressing high-profile and third-party issues.
- Prepare high-profile and third-party procedures for compliance manuals.
High-Profile and Third-Party Compliance Audits
The Michael L. Buckner Law Firm’s high-profile and third-party compliance audit service is a top-down evaluation of a compliance program that assists administrators with evaluating the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats based on key components relating to high-profiles and third-parties. Our audits consist of four phases: a pre-visit assessment (which includes a questionnaire, a request for documents and research); an online survey; a four-day campus visit (which includes interviews, a student-athlete group discussion, document review and an athletics facilities tour); and a post-visit assessment (which includes the report preparation and submission).
Rules-Education
The Michael L. Buckner Law Firm works with institutions to develop and conduct education and training seminars and workshops that produce measurable and dramatic results for an athletics department. Our advisors will analyze an athletics department to produce creative presentations and materials that are informative and useful for a variety of university groups and constituencies.
Representation during NCAA Investigations of High-Profile and Third-Party Allegations
The Michael L. Buckner Law Firm’s immense knowledge of athletics enforcement processes is available for institutions if it is confronted with allegations of NCAA rules-violations involving high-profiles and third-parties. We specialize in solving an institution’s athletics enforcement issues in a cost-effective and practical manner. Our expert approach in NCAA enforcement investigation and crisis management matters enables campus and athletics administrators to focus on their daily duties and responsibilities. Further, we represent clients before the NCAA committees on infractions and infractions appeals committees.