Sports and Entertainment Law
Indianapolis Indiana National Sports
Bill Bock and Stephen Starks have been at the forefront of sports and entertainment issues. Whether you are a sports organization or an athlete, artist, or celebrity, or in the entertainment and promotion industry, we ensure your business and legal interests are protected so you can do what you do best - showcase your talents.
Bill has earned a global reputation representing athletes, officials, coaches, and sports organizations in arbitrations, litigation, eligibility, drug testing, governance, and sponsorship matters for over twenty years.
For more than a dozen years, Bill has represented the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), serving as General Counsel since 2007. Bill handles the majority of USADA's arbitrations and investigations in sports doping cases and has handled more than fifty (50) contested arbitrations in his career, including numerous arbitrations before the International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and the American Arbitration Association (AAA). Bill was appointed by the international swimming federation, the Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA) headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, to serve as one of six (6) international arbitrators on the FINA Doping Panel.
Bill has been deeply involved in USADA's investigations including its Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative (BALCO) investigation and USADA's investigation into doping in cycling and in the proceedings involving Lance Armstrong and team officials and doctors from the United States Postal Service (USPS) cycling team. Bill served as the lead draftsman on the 200+ page reasoned decision issued by USADA which summarized the evidence gathered in the investigation and was ultimately upheld by the international cycling federation.
Stephen Starks focuses his practice on the representation of athletes and entertainers.
As a former Division I basketball player at Drexel University and as a professional, including stints in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and the NBA Developmental League, it is no surprise that as a law student, his interest gravitated to the intersection of law and sport. While still a law student, Stephen represented athletes in a variety of sport-related disputes, including in proceedings against USADA. Stephen's hard work earned him a position as USADA's Legal Affairs Director, a role in which he served for nearly four years.
Stephen is a certified agent by the National Football League Players Association and National Basketball Players Association, and currently represents several athletes. In addition, he has advised sporting and entertainment entities, such as event and concert promoters, artist management companies, and a professional racing team, in contractual negotiations across the United States.
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William Bock, III Partner |
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Areas of Practice
Sports Law and Litigation Business Litigation Municipal & Election Law Appellate Practice |
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Stephen A. Starks Associate |
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Areas of Practice
Corporate & Business Law Sports & Entertainment Law Litigation Arbitration |