Greenberg Traurig assembles a robust sports offering, capable of advising a deep roster of clients, including professional teams, colleges, and broadcasters. The group is well equipped to handle high-value projects and transactions, bringing experience to bear on an array of team acquisitions and stadium developments. The leadership team consists of Denis Braham, Steven Walkowiak, and Franklin Jones Jr. in Texas; New York–based Barbara Meili; and David Schulman in Atlanta. Braham routinely guides sports teams and governing bodies through stadium financing. Jones has extensive expertise coordinating the public finance aspects of stadium developments. Meili is an established point of contact for clients in the media and broadcast industry, while Schulman and Walkowiak lead the firm’s esports offering.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Lawyer & team quality
Client satisfaction: Billing & efficiency
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'My personal experience with Greenberg Traurig is related to esports and gaming. For context, gaming is a $300 billion business and esports is about a $3 billion business globally. In this area, Greenberg Traurig is the premier firm and truly has no peer. What makes them unique is that the ecosystem is very new, but they have comprehensive experience across the landscape of stakeholders (pro teams, pro players, game publishers, platforms, leagues, events, software automation, AI tools) and across all types of legal matters (IP, contract, HR, M&A, immigration, litigation, etc.). They serve the largest stakeholders in the gaming and esports space.'
- 'I work primarily with David Schulman, the leader of their gaming and esports practice.'
- 'We work with David Schulman as lead partner and main contact at Greenberg. He brings a deep understanding of the video game business through the lens of a seasoned lawyer who knows how the industry works. He has a strong command over IP rights, publishing and development agreements, licensing structures, and platform relationships—and, importantly, he understands how those pieces impact the commercial side of a game. David doesn’t just flag risks; he helps structure smart, workable solutions that protect the product while keeping momentum moving. He’s especially strong in negotiations, where he combines legal precision with a practical sense of what’s realistic and fair in today’s market. Because he understands both the creative and business sides of games, he can bridge conversations between teams and keep everyone aligned. His experience allows him to anticipate issues early and prevent them from becoming distractions later. Overall, he’s a thoughtful, steady advisor whose legal expertise meaningfully strengthens every deal and partnership he touches.'
- 'This team is the best in the content distribution practice area.'
- 'Barbara Meili and Paul Sarker are both phenomenal. They are true pros, and I would not have anyone else represent me in a cable deal.'
Practice head
Denis Braham; Franklin Jones Jr; Barbara Meili; David Schulman; Steven Walkowiak
Other key lawyers
Kevin Kelley; Andrea Austin; Paul Sarker