Duane Morris Philadelphia Office Adds Sports Law Professor Kenneth L. Shropshire as Special Counsel

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Duane Morris is pleased to announce that Wharton Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics Kenneth L. Shropshire has joined the firm's Corporate Practice Group as special counsel in its Philadelphia office. Shropshire's arrival bolsters Duane Morris' corporate capabilities, particularly in the areas of sports and entertainment law.

Shropshire serves as the David W. Hauck Professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, and he will continue to teach and research there as well as lead the Wharton Sports Business Initiative (WSBI).

Shropshire has become a prominent figure during his distinguished 25-year career at Wharton, including five years as chair of the school's Legal Studies and Business Ethics Department. His research and teaching have centered on sports law, sports business and the social impact of sports, as well as negotiation, dispute resolution and diversity in the law. Shropshire acts as an arbitrator in disputes regarding employment, agents, payments and eligibility to such clients as the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) and USA Track and Field. He has consulted on projects for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), NFL, Major League Baseball and the United States Olympic Committee. At Duane Morris, Shropshire will continue to provide sophisticated counsel to sports industry clients on a wide spectrum of legal matters. He will also be actively involved in the firm's multidisciplinary Sports, Entertainment and New Media group.

At the University of Pennsylvania, Shropshire has participated as a faculty advisor and representative for numerous organizations. They include serving as the Faculty Athletics Representative to the NCAA, and directing the NFL/NFLPA Player Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program, which is operated by the WSBI. Founded by Shropshire in 2004, the WSBI generates and disseminates thought leadership on the sports industry through education programs, strategic corporate partnerships and in-depth student involvement. Shropshire serves on the boards of the Florida Coastal School of Law, the Philadelphia Sports Congress, and Peace Players International. He is a trustee of the Women's Sports Foundation and a founder and board member of the Valley Green Bank in Philadelphia. He is also a board member and past president of the Sports Lawyers Association. In 2000, Philadelphia Mayor John Street appointed Shropshire to chair Philadelphia's stadium site selection committee and projects focused on future Philadelphia bids for the Olympic Games. As a result of his extensive activities in law and sports, he was named to Philadelphia magazine's "Power 100" list of the city's most influential figures.

A frequent speaker and commentator in the media, Shropshire is the author of 10 books and more than 100 articles on negotiation strategies and tactics, as well as the legal, cultural and historical aspects of the business of sports. He has also written on salary negotiations, and sports and racial issues. In addition, Shropshire wrote a popular biography of boxer Sugar Ray Robinson. He was formerly affiliated with Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP in Los Angeles.

Shropshire writes regularly on sports law and business-related issues on the Duane Morris Sports Law Blog at http://blogs.duanemorris.com/duanemorrissportslawblog/.

He earned his J.D. in 1980 from Columbia Law School, and graduated with an A.B. in Economics in 1977 from Stanford University.

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SOURCE Duane Morris LLP