BCLP’s Sports & Entertainment Group lands key partner hire from NFL

International law firm BCLP today announced that Douglas Mishkin, formerly senior counsel at the National Football League, has joined the firm as a partner in its global Sports & Entertainment Group. Doug will be based in the firm’s New York office.

Doug brings with him a unique skillset across transactional, regulatory and policy matters. Over the course of his six-year tenure at the NFL, Doug was responsible for structuring, drafting and negotiating contracts across a variety of NFL business units (including Football Operations, Consumer Products and Club Business Development) and overseeing the League’s commercial policies. When the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was overturned in May 2018, Doug became the lead attorney for the League’s gambling-related commercial activities, handling the NFL’s first-ever casino sponsorship, daily fantasy sports sponsorship, official sports betting data and live video distribution deals, slot machine license, Approved Sportsbook Operator agreements, and numerous sportsbook sponsorships (domestic and international).

In addition to handling the League’s gambling and sports betting commercial transactions, Doug supported Government Affairs in their sports betting advocacy and legislative drafting initiatives, advised the NFL’s member clubs on structuring their sportsbook partnerships, and was instrumental in shaping the League’s post-PASPA gambling policies. As the League’s primary contact on all commercial policy matters, Doug also advised and counseled NFL clubs in connection with their partnerships across various emerging categories, including sports betting market access deals and blockchain digital asset sponsorships.

Prior to the NFL, Doug worked in Las Vegas as SVP, Legal and Business Affairs of Metric Gaming, an international sports betting technology, software and services company. In that role, he was responsible for the company’s legal and regulatory matters, including securing the company’s first gambling license, and handling a variety of licensing and investment transactions with global iGaming and sports betting operators. Doug started his career as a litigator in the New York office of Willkie Farr & Gallagher.

“We are thrilled to welcome Doug to the BCLP Sports & Entertainment Group,” said Ryan Davis, the group’s co-chair. “His unique and broad experience with the NFL and in advising all of its teams, along with his specialized legal experience in gaming, sports betting and other emerging categories, will provide tremendous value to our clients across the sports and entertainment industry. His insights and knowledge on these trending issues within the sports industry will play a key role in the continued growth of our global practice, and his experience will be particularly valuable to our significant group of existing professional sports team clients, which include 31 NHL teams, over 20 Premier League, La Liga, Championship and other international football clubs across seven countries and various MLB, MLS, NBA and NFL teams.”

In addition to the Sports & Entertainment Group, Doug also will work within the firm’s global Technology, Commercial & Government Affairs Practice.

“Doug brings with him such a wide range of experience – from transactions to government regulations and so much in between – that our clients across numerous sectors and practices will benefit,” said Carol Osborne, BCLP partner and global practice group leader of Technology, Commercial & Government Affairs.

“As additional states legalize sports betting, and blockchain and metaverse deals become more commonplace, more sports leagues, franchises and companies across the entertainment industry will look to develop policies and strike deals in these emerging categories, making Doug’s experience particularly meaningful,” added Sean Christy and Chuck Hollis, partners and co-team leaders of Technology & Commercial Transactions.