Dennis M. Coleman leads a nationwide sports, media, and entertainment practice. Dennis represents a variety of sports industry clients, such as the National Football League, the Boston Red Sox, the National Association of Basketball Coaches and a variety of head football and basketball coaches and broadcasters in contract, sponsorship, and endorsement matters.
Dennis’ clients include over 25 head coaches in basketball and football, including Ed Cooley of Providence College, Ashley Howard of La Salle University, Fran Dunphy of Temple University, Johnny Dawkins of University of Central Florida and Jeff Jones of Old Dominion University. Dennis also represents Hall of Famer Tony Dungy, who is a sportscaster at NBC Sports and former head coach of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts.
In addition, Dennis works regularly with partners across the firm to solve complex problems for sports industry clients, such as compliance and enforcement issues with government enforcement partners and intellectual property and licensing issues with IP partners.
EDUCATION :
- JD, Georgetown University Law Center, 1978
- AB, Brown University, 1975
ADMISSIONS :
- Massachusetts, 2010
- Rhode Island, 1979
- U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island
MEMBERSHIP & AFFILIATIONS :
- American Bar Association
- American Bar Association – Sports and Entertainment Industry Forum
- Boston Bar Association
- Rhode Island Bar Association
- Thurgood Marshall Law Society
PROFESSIONAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES :
- Board of Directors, U.S. Fund for UNICEF New England Regional Board
- Board of Directors and Executive Committee, Brown University Sports Foundation
- Board of Directors, co-chair person Outreach Committee, Sports Lawyers Association
- Board of Directors, The Wheeler School
Experience :
- Negotiated one of the first ever “Succession Plan Contracts” in the NFL by negotiating the deal that took place when Jim Caldwell succeeded Tony Dungy following Dungy’s retirement as head coach of the Colts
- Represented Gillette in connection with the naming rights of Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots
- Represented The National Football League in a series of transactions as part of a repositioning of NFL On Location, its premium events and hospitality business. The NFL is partnering with Bruin Sports Capital and RedBird Capital Partners, who will invest growth capital and assume operational control of the business
- Currently serves as General Counsel to the National Association of Basketball Coaches, providing a wide range of advice on issues such as licensing, sponsorships, patent, trademarks, real estate, and contract negotiations
Cost
Rate : $$$
