Visionary leadership, innovative partnerships and a focus on practical preparation have made Cleveland-Marshall College of Law a destination for prospective law students across Northeast Ohio.  Launching in 2012, the Great Lakes Sports and Entertainment Law Academy, a program built on all three, will establish Cleveland-Marshall and the City of Cleveland itself as a destination for prospective law students across the nation and around the world. 

“As a result of my participation in Professor Carfagna’s courses, I managed to obtain the externship and transition quickly into my new position at MSG,” says Christopher Harrington.  “When I arrived I was given contract reviewing, editing and drafting assignments.  Because we had extensive practice with similar complex agreements, I recognized the various provisions and boilerplates,” he says.  “I knew exactly what to do, and I was able to get started without asking many questions, which impressed my supervisors.”  Harrington was assigned to MSG Sports and worked under Jamaal Lesane, he Vice President of Legal and Business Affairs for Teams and Sports Operations.  “There I was,” says Harrington, “this kid from Cleveland-Marshall surrounded by lawyers from Columbia, Yale and Harvard,” he said.  No matter how surreal the experience, it was a successful one for Harrington.  Carfagna and Nard wanted to have a similar impact on students at the Academy. 

            The question became how to provide such unique externship opportunities to students in the Academy.  Of course, one of the reasons Carfagna chose to teach in Cleveland in the first place is the unprecedented access to sports and arts institutions here in town. For example, Global Spectrum, part of the Comcast Group, is the on-site agency that manages the Wolstein Center for athletic events and music events as well.  “Would they appreciate a clinical student who can help them go over their forms and manage event related contacts for sports and events?” says Carfagna.  “Of course, and if a student can get that placement, they will have a huge advantage.”

            Carfagna and Nard began soliciting local organizations for externship opportunities and Global Spectrum, Nelligan Sports Marketing and Cleveland State University’s NCAA Athletics organizations were among the first.  The counsel for the Cleveland Browns, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Lake County Captains and the Greater Cleveland Film Commission have since joined the expanding list.  “Our plan is to provide the top students in this summer’s inaugural Academy class with direct placement into these organizations for externships,” says Carfagna.

            On May 14, 2012, the Great Lakes Sports and Entertainment Law Academy will open its doors for its first class of students.  Students will be immersed in four courses over three weeks:  Representing the Professional Athlete, Negotiating Strategies in Sports Management, Representing the Musical Artist and Entertainment Law:  Film and Television.  The faculty includes Peter Carfagna, Mark Avsec, partner and vice-chair of the Intellectual Property Practice Group at Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff, LLP, and David Shall, Head of Business Operations & General Counsel at Vuguru LLC.

            “These faculty members are unique,” says co-director Craig Nard.  “Mark Avsec, for example is also a professional musician,” he says.  “He’s going to simulate what it’s like to represent an artist from the early days of a band all the way to becoming a heritage band.”  The first day, students from the course will travel to a music studio, see how musicians work in the field and learn about the legal issues involved in recording.  Each of the courses leverages the three-week immersive format to the fullest.  “With guest speakers, field trips and more to look forward to, this year’s Academy program will be wonderfully rich,” says Nard.  “And, this is only the first year.  We plan on making it bigger and better every year to come,” he says.  But, 2012 is already exceeding everyone’s expectations. 

            “We were hoping for 20-25 students to register for this summer’s Academy,” says Carfagna.  Registration is open to students from across the country, with courses to take place on the Cleveland State University campus.  By the time registration closed, the program had far exceeded initial expectations with 73 registrants from schools across the country.  Of those 73, the top 10-15 will receive placement in Cleveland-area externships.  “This program is a magnet,” says Carfagna.  “It’s a one-of-a-kind program – there is nothing quite like it out there. The program is great for Cleveland, great for CWRU Law, and great for Cleveland-Marshall,” he says.  “It will bring people here and create a brain gain.”