Sarah Hartley
Sarah Hartley
Sarah Hartley
Biography
Sarah has nearly 20 years’ experience as a trial lawyer and appellate advocate across a wide variety of industries, and as a trusted advisor and consultant on a broad array of athletics, higher education, and governance issues. She has tried more than a dozen cases in state and federal courts and arbitral bodies around the country. Her litigation experience covers the gamut of complex commercial litigation, antitrust disputes, non-competition and non-solicitation litigation, as well as disputes regarding allegations of sexual misconduct in the sports and higher education contexts. Sarah also handles sensitive investigations on a variety of sexual misconduct, discrimination, and workplace issues.
In addition to her commercial, antitrust, and employment litigation experience, Sarah leads BCLP’s Higher Education Team and is a member of the Sports and Higher Entertainment practice. She consults on various aspects of Title IX compliance, including policy reviews, disciplinary proceedings, and athletic compliance with gender equity mandates. She works to find effective solutions in light of the real world challenges facing athletic departments advocating for maintaining and growing women’s sports opportunities. She also assists professional and Olympic sports clients on a broad range of commercial, governance, and compliance issues.
In addition to her practice at BCLP, Sarah serves as adjunct professor at the University of Virginia School of Law, where she teaches a sports law course focused on governance, sexual misconduct, doping, collegiate sports, and other hot topics in sports, and has previously taught a similar course at the University of Colorado Law School. She also has guest lectured for the University of Oregon School of Law’s Summer Sports Law Institute.
Areas of Focus
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Outdoor Industry
Civic Involvement & Honors
- Board of Directors, Colorado Outward Bound School (2015-2022)
- Board of Directors, Positive Coaching Alliance (2015-2018)
- Board of Directors, Mile High Squash (2011-2014)
- Articles Review Editor, Virginia Environmental Law Journal
Professional Affiliations
- Board Member, College Squash Association (2023 – present)
- Member, The Women’s Sports Foundation’s Legal & Legislative Subcommittee (2024 – present).
- Sports Lawyers Association
- National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA), Member
Women's Board
Admissions
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District of Columbia, 2022
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Colorado, 2011
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New York, 2008
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California, 2005
Education
University of Virginia, J.D., 2005
Yale University, B.A., with distinction, 2001
Related Practice Areas
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Business & Commercial Disputes
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Antitrust
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Real Estate
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Real Estate Disputes
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Investigations
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Cross-border Employment Issues
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Employment & Labor
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Regulation, Compliance & Advisory
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Litigation & Dispute Resolution
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Sports & Entertainment Contract, Endorsement & Celebrity Representation Practice
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Anti-Doping Practice
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Sports & Event Venue Real Estate Infrastructure and Operation
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Naming Rights & Sponsorship Practice
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Sports & Entertainment M&A Practice
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Sports & Entertainment Litigation Practice
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Collegiate Sports Practice
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Sports & Entertainment Specialty Counseling Practice
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Entertainment Industry Practice
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Outdoor Industry
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Olympic & National Governing Body Practice
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Professional Sports Team Practice
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Campus Free Expression
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Higher Education Team
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Israel Practice
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Sports & Event Financing
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Oil, Gas and LNG
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Sports & Entertainment
Experience
Sports
- Developed policies and procedures for investigation and arbitration of Safe Sport complaints for new U.S. Center for Safe Sport.
- Works with various NGBs on Safe Sport issues.
- Handles Safe Sport complaints, including evidentiary hearings.
- Works with various NGBs and leagues on governance issues, sponsorship deals, and employment matters.
- Successfully represented professional football team in litigation over use of trademarks.
Antitrust
- Represented telecommunications manufacturer in a seven-month jury trial and subsequent appeal regarding numerous antitrust issues.
- Represented state university in defense of antitrust claims regarding on-campus student housing.
- Won dismissal in Federal Court in Denver in a Section 1 and Section 2 gas transportation antitrust case seeking more than $100 million. Briefed the appeal in the 10th Circuit.
Commercial Litigation
- Won trial in Colorado state court, involving control of a $90 million natural gas pipeline. Briefed and won appeal in Colorado Court of Appeals.
- Won arbitration involving attempts to shut down a natural gas pipeline.
- Represented telecommunications manufacturer in $30 billion patent licensing dispute regarding cell phone technology.
- Obtained favorable settlement for natural gas exploration and development company in royalty dispute.
- Represented insurance company to develop global strategy for managing and resolving multi-district and international litigation regarding defective Chinese drywall.
- Represented parties in arbitration contesting ownership of major social media platform.
- Obtained favorable settlement for transgendered Federal inmate on claims of failure to protect and failure to provide necessary medical treatment.
- Represented direct sales company in dispute regarding supply of ingredient for cosmetics line.
- Represented outside directors in indemnification action against former bank.
- Represented major retail company in trademark suit regarding parody on company marks.
Resources
Publications
"Caster Semenya: Why is the Olympic champion challenging the IAAF's testosterone rules? A sports law expert explains," City A.M., June 24, 2018
"Defining Female Athletes: IAAF Gets It Wrong Again," Law360, June 4, 2018
"Defining 'Sport' In The Age Of Competitive Video Gaming," Law360, November 20, 2017
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