Helen "Nellie" Drew

Helen A. “Nellie” Drew is the Director of the UB Center for the Advancement of Sport, which facilitates cross-disciplinary research into a variety of sport-related topics. Drew is especially interested in the intersection of sports law and sports medicine to facilitate public policy promoting healthy, safe sports participation.

A native Western New Yorker, Drew is a lifelong Bills, Sabres and Bulls fan. While attending the School of Law, she developed an independent study research project on alternative dispute resolution in the NHL with Gerry Meehan ‘82 who was also in-house counsel with the Sabres. Drew was instrumental in negotiating and drafting contracts for Pat LaFontaine, and Dominik Hasek, among others.  Drew was primarily responsible for Alexander Mogilny’s successful defection from the Soviet Union.  She also was part of the legal team that handled numerous NHL transactions, including the creation of theAnaheim MIghty Ducks, the Ottawa Senators, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the San Jose Sharks.