TOLEDO, OH – Michael A. Chapman has joined Shumaker as Of Counsel in its Corporate, Tax and Transactions Service Line, bringing with him extensive experience in the sports law arena.
“As Americans continue to invest in sports, it is imperative we are well-positioned to help our clients thrive as the market continues to explode. Michael’s ability to provide strategic, business-minded solutions to legal issues will benefit clients in the rapidly changing landscape of collegiate and professional sports,” said Partner and Corporate, Tax and Transactions Regional Service Line Leader Scott Aubry.
A diligent and responsive attorney, Michael focuses his practice on the world of athlete safety and SafeSport compliance, including the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and SafeSport Authorization Act of 2017. He advises numerous sports organizations on creating, reviewing, and updating policies and processes; independent investigations; internal audits regarding policy enforcement and SafeSports compliance; and general compliance with laws and policies, including those issued by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and the U.S. Center for SafeSport.
Michael decided to pursue this avenue of law after witnessing many inconsistent approaches and applications of athlete protection measures (particularly those for minor athletes); he saw an opportunity to help sports organizations craft and enforce policies and procedures in such a way that encourages active participation in sports because they are safe and fun. Prior to joining Shumaker, Michael worked in the compliance department of the U.S. Center for SafeSport, where he served as an advisor to National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of all sizes—from those with a two-person staff to the largest NGBs in the Olympic movement—and helped develop auditing procedures to enforce SafeSport requirements.
“Michael’s unique experience with the U.S. Center for SafeSport, as well as his association with the various Olympic Sport National Governing Bodies, greatly enhances our capacity for serving clients in Olympic sports, collegiate athletics and professional sports in investigations, best practice and policy development, and internal reviews,” said Bennett Speyer, Shumaker Partner and Hospitality, Leisure and Sports Business Sector Co-Chair.
Michael is the second addition to the Sports Law Team in the past six months. In July, Robert Boland joined the group as Of Counsel. His practice centers on collegiate and professional sports, including name, image, and likeness (NIL) matters, where he helps clients navigate the often-confusing web of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules and various state laws to earn compensation for the use of their personas in areas such as advertising and social media.