Several states have introduced legislation to require transgender student-athletes at the elementary and secondary school levels to compete only in their sex assigned at birth, not based on their gender identity. While more than a third of states allow transgender students to compete on teams based on their gender identity, legislators in several states (including Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, New Hampshire, Tennessee, and Washington) are attempting to end this personal right of choice. Legislators in these…

Is it a significant achievement to make it onto a national sports team? Would winning a top-ten spot in a European championship constitute an award for excellence? Would being one of a duo who were U.S. junior ice dance champions constitute an internationally recognized prize? These are questions USCIS has answered in the negative in denying extraordinary ability (EB-1) permanent resident (“green card”) petitions. The rise in these denials, like the steep increase in denials…

In a long awaited, but highly anticipated step, a group of United States Senators has announced the formation of a bipartisan working group to assist with ongoing discussions regarding compensation for student-athletes relating to their name, image and likeness. The working group, whose initial members will include Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Murphy (D-Ct), David Perdue (R-GA), Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Marco Rubio (R-FL), will aim to provide an informal, open forum among federal legislators,…

The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) has announced a partnership with the National College Players Association (NCPA) to jointly explore the marketing and licensing of all college athletes and how they can be paid for the use of their name, image and likeness through the NFLPA’s licensing affiliated entity, REP Worldwide. Seeking to maximize the value of California’s Fair Pay To Play Act, recently signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom, which has…

While student-athletes and colleges and universities across the country await an anticipated response from the NCAA’s established working group regarding name, image and likeness rights, a growing number of states continue to announce their intention to circumvent current NCAA Bylaws and introduce legislation to provide student-athletes with the opportunity to capitalize on their name, image and likeness. New Jersey has now added their name to ever-growing list of states willing to challenge the NCAA. New…