Sports Law Forum
A webinar series featuring players and leaders in the world of athletics discussing current topics in the sports law industry. Presented by the UB Center for the Advancement of Sport and the UB Law Alumni Association.
All Sports Law Forums are free and open to law alumni, students, and faculty. Registration is required. Individual Zoom links will be sent in your registration confirmation email.
From the Front Office to the First Pitch: Opening Day with Mike Buczkowski, President of Rich Baseball Operations
Friday, April 10th
12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. via Zoom
Program is free, though registration is required.
Mike Buczkowski is President of Rich Baseball Operations and a veteran sports executive with nearly four decades of experience in professional baseball. He spent more than 25 years as General Manager of the Buffalo Bisons, becoming the longest‑tenured GM in the franchise’s history. In his current role, he oversees the Bisons and two additional minor league teams and has played a key role in elevating Buffalo’s national profile as a baseball city.
Questions? Please contact Prof. Nellie Drew at hdrew@buffalo.edu.
Registration
Past Events
Power in Play: A Conversation with UB Women Leading The Future of Sports Safety
February 4, 2026 - Power in Play: A Conversation with UB Women Leading The Future of Sports Safety
A program celebrating National Girls & Women in Sports Day featuring:
- Dr. Heidi N. Suffoletto, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Orthopaedics, UB
- Haley Chizuk, Research Assistant Professor, Orthopaedics, UB;
Athletic Trainer, UBMD Orthopaedics; PhD Candidate - Nomi S. Weiss-Laxer, Research Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics, UB;
Research Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, UB
November 20, 2025 -Inside NHL Player Representation with Steve Bartlett
October 14, 2025 - Inside the Huddle: Meet Mark Murphy, Former Packers CEO and Hall of Famer.
October 1, 2025 - Athlete Health Care: The Heart of Sports Law featuring Heidi Suffoletto, MD, FACEP and Nomi Weiss-Laxer, PhD, MPH, MA.
Following the discussion, the entire law school community articipated in a hands-on CPR training as part of UBMD's continuing effort to share Damar Hamlin's life-saving initiative.
April 28, 2025 - A Conversation with Del Reid: The Story of Bills Mafia featuring Del Reid
February 7, 2025 - From Intramurals to the Olympics: The Changing Dynamics in Girls' & Women's Athletics featuring:
- Kelly Cruttenden
Senior Associate Athletic Director for Compliance, University at Buffalo - Vicki Mitchell
Director and Head Coach of UB’s Men's and Women's Cross Country and Track & Field Programs, University at Buffalo - Kristen Thorsness, Esq.
Of Counsel, Bond Schoeneck & King
Arbitrator, Court of Arbitration for Sport (including for the 2024 Paris Olympics), 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist (Rowing)
November 21, 2024 - In the Trenches: Representing NFL Players featuring:
- Shane Costa '13, NFL Agent and Director of Football Operations with Generation Sports Group. A lifelong native of Western New York, Shane Costa has over a decade of experience in professional football. Following graduation from the School of Law, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude, he became a certified NFLPA Agent and has represented nearly 50 players in the NFL, including draft picks, pro bowlers, and starters.
November 5, 2024 - Top Notch Tips from An Agent featuring:
- Jett Wright, agent at Topnotch Management
October 2, 2024 - Exploring the NFL's Antitrust Ticket Lawsuit with the Heavy Weights featuring:
- Ken Belson, New York Times reporter covering sports, power and money at the NFL and other professional sports leagues.
- Christine P. Bartholomew, antitrust scholar and vice dean for academic affairs at the University at Buffalo School of Law.
April 22, 2024 - From the Boardroom to the Field: Life as a Sports Exec: A Discussion with Amy Latimer, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Delaware North
- Amy Latimer has responsibility for Delaware North’s business operations around the world, with accountability for driving performance at more than 200 high-profile locations across sports and entertainment venues, national and state parks, destination resorts and restaurants, airports and travel hubs, and gaming properties.
April, 2024 - Redefining the Game for Women's Sport: A Discussion with Susie Piotrkowski, Vice President of Women's Sports Programming & espnW for ESPN
- Susie Piotrkowski is responsible for leading women’s sports content relationships and driving the future vision of the espnW portfolio, including the new W. Studios group.
April 10, 2024 - Navigating the New NCAA: A Round Table Discussion with members of UB Athletics
A program focused on understanding the new NCAA. Members of UB Athletics will also discuss careers in Name, Image and Likeness, where NIL is headed, and where future jobs are going to be.
Featuring:
- Mark Alnutt
Vice President, Director of Athletics - D'Ann Keller
Deputy Director of Athletics - Kelly Cruttenden
Senior Associate Athletic Director for Compliance - Pete Lembo
Head Coach, Football Program
Nov. 6, 2023 - Check and Cross-Check: Negotiating a Professional Hockey Player's Contract
- A discussion about how the contract negotiation process has changed over time featuring long-time NHL agent Steve Bartlett and former Sabres Captain and General Manager, Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame inductee Gerry Meehan '82.
Oct. 27, 2023 - Community Benefits Agreement: A Conversation featuring Erie County Legislator April Baskin
- A discussion about the Buffalo Community Benefits Agreement with April Baskin, Chair of the Erie County Legislature, District 2.
Oct. 16, 2023 - What ARE the Odds? Meghan Chayka Talks Sports Analytics in the New Era of Sports Betting
- Meghan Chayka, co-founder of the ice hockey analytics firm, Stathletes, and Data Scientist in Residence at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.
Sept. 18, 2023 - Keeping the Bills in Buffalo: A Conversation with the County Executive featuring
- Mark Poloncarz, Erie County Executive
- Moderated by Richard Tobe ’74, Director of Special Intergovernmental Projects, New York State Department of Labor
April 17, 2023 - The Role of the NFL Agent featuring
- Shane Costa ’13
NFL Agent, General Counsel, Generation Sports Group - Paul Iya ’13
NFL Agent, Director of Legal Affairs, Generation Sports Group
March 28, 2023 - Playing the Game: A Conversation with Industry Icon Darren Heitner on NILs and the Rapidly Changing Business of Sports featuring
- Darren Heitner
Founder
Heitner Legal, PLLC
Feb. 1, 2023 - Changing the Playing Field: Perspectives from Women Leaders Across the Sports Industry featuring:
- Kathryn D’Angelo, Esq. ’10
Interim General Counsel, Buffalo Bills - Dr. Ally Howe
Team Physician, USA Hockey
US Women’s World Championship Team - Julianne Sitch
Head Men’s Soccer Coach, University of Chicago - Lorrie Turner, Esq. ’96
Chief Legal Officer; Senior VP of Global Legal and Brand Protection and Secretary
New Era Cap Company - Jenn Vrentas
NFL Correspondent, The New York Times - Sarah Herlihy Willson, Esq.
Associate General Counsel, Boston Celtics
Student moderators:
- Donnett Hickson '23
- Emily Maziarz '23
- Candace Sena '23
Nov. 30, 2022 - The Unique Art of Baseball's Salary Arbitration featuring
- Joshua S. Fox
Senior Counsel, Labor & Employment Law Department
Proskauer Rose LLP - Robert Pannullo
Litigation Associate
Winston & Strawn LLP
Nov. 2, 2022 - The Evolving Intersection of Law and College Sports
- Philip J. Zaccheo
Member, Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC
Oct. 12, 2022 - Repping the Stripes: Meet Alex C. Dell, Esq., Counsel to NHL Referees
- Alex C. Dell, Founding Attorney
Law Firm of Alex C. Dell, PLLC, Albany, NY
Apr. 22, 2022 - Creating the NFL Schedule: Logistics, Rivalries, Analytics & Instinct featuring
- Michael North
Vice President of Broadcast Planning
National Football League - Charlotte Carey
Director of Broadcasting
National Football League
Apr. 13, 2022 - Meet Dave Gardi: The NFL’s QB of On-field Operations
- Dave Gardi
Senior Vice President of Football Operations, Policy and Compliance
National Football League
Mar. 18, 2022 - A Conversation with Ukrainian-born NHL Super-Agent Daniel Milstein
- Daniel Milstein
Agent to several Russian National Hockey League players
Mar. 3, 2022 - The State of Baseball featuring
- Jonathan A. Dandes
Corporate Vice President, Rich Products Corporation
Former President, Rich Baseball Operations/Bisons Baseball - Leo Dandes ’10
Vice-President/Financial Crimes Division, HSBC
Head Baseball Coach, AAA/BA
Former Head Baseball Coach
D’Youville University Saints
Mar. 1, 2022 - NFL Politics: The Play-by-Play featuring
- Ken Belson
NFL Correspondent
The New York Times