Christopher R. Deubert

Chris is an attorney with more than thirteen years of experience at law firms, in-house, and in academia, with extensive expertise in sports, litigation, and labor and employment. He represents and advises employers with respect to a variety of labor and employment matters, including discrimination complaints, wage and hour claims, class actions, employment agreements, restrictive covenants, data privacy, trade secrets, employee handbooks and policies, internal investigations, and more.

Chris also advises and represents a variety of parties in the sports industry, including teams, associations/tours, and agents/agencies, as well as universities and related parties in NCAA and other regulatory matters.

Chris previously worked with Hilton Hotels & Resorts, managing, advising on, and representing Hilton in disputes, litigations, arbitrations, and mediations around the world.  In particular, Chris managed domestic employment litigation, including discrimination, wage and hour, wrongful termination, and similar claims.  Chris also oversaw actions brought pursuant to California employment law, including class actions and Private Attorney General Actions.

Chris also previously operated as a solo practitioner, representing mostly clients in the sports industry, including but not limited to professional sports teams and athletes, sports agents, a sports marketing agency, and an NFT-related sports start-up.  Chris assisted clients with litigation, league matters, employment, transactional matters, corporate governance, corporate formation, intellectual property, sports betting, and more.

From November 2018 to March 2021, Chris was General Counsel for D.C. United of Major League Soccer. In that role, Chris served as chief legal counsel to the ownership group which owns D.C. United, Audi Field, Loudoun United FC (USL), Segra Field, and related real estate interests. Chris handled a broad range of legal issues including litigation, contracts, sponsorships, ticket and suite matters, stadium operations, events, stadium licensing, sports betting, corporate governance, intellectual property, employment and labor, internal investigations, insurance, broadcasting, data privacy, immigration, real estate, community relations, COVID-19, bankruptcy, vendors, MLS and FIFA matters, and more.

While at D.C. United, Chris also oversaw the Human Resources, Information Technology and, at times, Operations Departments. In overseeing Human Resources, Chris drafted and implemented the Employee Handbook and relevant employment policies, including compliance with District, state and federal laws governing workplace discrimination, harassment, wages, hours, workplace safety, employment classifications, benefits, insurance, vacation, and leave. Additionally, Chris oversaw the implementation of policies of best practice concerning ethics, confidentiality, workplace conduct, benefits, diversity, equity, and inclusion, signature authority, social media usage, performance reviews, compensation, mental health, substances of abuse, dispute resolution, and more.

Prior to joining D.C. United, Chris worked at two New York City law firms in the areas of sports law, and commercial, intellectual property, securities, antitrust, and labor and employment litigation. At these firms, Chris handled all matters necessary for litigation, including taking and defending depositions and arguing in state and federal courts, with multiple published decisions to his credit.

From May 2014 to May 2017, Chris was the Senior Law and Ethics Associate for the Law and Ethics Initiative of the Football Players Health Study at Harvard University, a long-term research project designed to improve the health and wellbeing of current, former, and future NFL players. The Law & Ethics Initiative, led by the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School, studied legal and ethical issues affecting NFL player health and issued a variety of publications that garnered significant public attention, including coverage in the New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Sports Illustrated, and on ESPN.

During his firm practice, Chris’ sports practice focused primarily on representing NFL players in League matters, including appeals for Commissioner Discipline, under the NFL’s Policy and Program on Substances of Abuse and under the NFL’s Policy on Performance-Enhancing Substances, and related litigation. Chris also regularly represented NFL players and agents in disputes under the NFLPA’s arbitration procedures. Other clients included a PGA TOUR member, NBA player, an NCAA Division I student-athlete, and sports agents and agencies. Chris also helped prepare salary arbitration cases and conducted related research for a MLB club.

• Sports Lawyers Association
• DC SCORES, Board of Directors (2020-2021)
• Senior Writer for Hackney Publications (January 2023)

In his free time, Chris enjoys sports, cycling, marathons, triathlons, reading, American history, politics, government, law, economics, cooking, and crossword puzzles. Chris has undertaken to read a biography of every American President and has currently read through 37th President Richard M. Nixon.

• “Current Labor Law Issues in Collegiate and Professional Sports.,” Sports Lawyers Association Annual Conference, May 2023
• Christopher R. Deubert, Conflicts of Interest at an Organization’s Highest Level: How the District of Columbia’s Rules of Professional Conduct Can Fail to Protect Private Organizations, 72 Cath. Univ. L. Rev. 71 (2023).
• Christopher R. Deubert and Brandon Wurl, MLS at 25: Legal and Financial Considerations for the Next Quarter Century, 12 Ariz. St. Sports & Ent. L.J. 1 (2022).
• Christopher R. Deubert, Labor & Employment Law Guidance for Professional Sports Teams, 32 Marq. Sports L. Rev. 360 (2022).
• Christopher R. Deubert and Aaron Caputo, Improving the Game: The Football Players Health Study at Harvard University and the 2020 NFL-NFLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement, 12 Harvard J. Sports & Ent. L. 73 (2021).
• Christopher R. Deubert, Bitter Beer Face: Are Beer Conglomerates Violating New York Consumer Protection Laws?, 48 Hofstra L. Rev. 431 (2020).
• Sarah McGraw, Christopher R. Deubert, Holly Fernandez Lynch, Alixandra Nozzolillo, and I. Glenn Cohen, NFL or ‘Not for Long’? Transitioning out of the NFL, 42(4) J. Sport Behavior 461 (2019).
• Christopher R. Deubert, The Combine and the Common Rule: Future NFL Players as Unknowing Research Participants, 123 Penn St. L. Rev. 303 (2019).
• Sarah McGraw, Christopher R. Deubert, Holly Fernandez Lynch, Lauren Taylor, Alixandra Nozzolillo, and I. Glenn Cohen, Life on an Emotional Rollercoaster: NFL Players and Their Family Members’ Perspectives on Player Mental Health, 12(3) J. Clinical Sport Psych. 404 (2018).
• Adam M. Finkel, Christopher R. Deubert, Orly Lobel, I. Glenn Cohen, and Holly Fernandez Lynch, The NFL as a Workplace: The Prospect of Applying Occupational Health and Safety Laws to Protect NFL Workers, 60 Ariz. L. Rev. 291 (2018).
• Glenn M. Wong and Christopher R. Deubert, Chapter: Eligibility Rules in Professional Sports, The Oxford Handbook of American Sports Law (Michael McCann ed., 2017).
• Glenn M. Wong and Christopher R. Deubert, What does it take to become a general counsel in sports?Sports Bus. J. (May 15, 2017).
• Christopher R. Deubert, Glenn M. Wong and Kevin Hansen, General Counsels in Sports: An Analysis of the Responsibilities, Demographics, and Qualifications, 6 Ariz. St. Sports & Ent. L.J. 229 (2017).
• Christopher R. Deubert, I. Glenn Cohen, and Holly Fernandez Lynch, Comparing Health-Related Policies & Practices in Sports: The NFL and Other Professional Leagues(2017).
• Jessica L. Roberts, I. Glenn Cohen, Christopher R. Deubert, and Holly Fernandez Lynch, Commentary: The Legality of Biometric Screening of Professional Athletes, 17 Am. J. Bioethics 65 (2017).
• Jessica L. Roberts, I. Glenn Cohen, Christopher R. Deubert, and Holly Fernandez Lynch, Evaluating NFL Player Health and Performance: Legal and Ethical Issues, 165 U. Penn.  L. Rev. 227 (2017).
• I. Glenn Cohen, Holly Fernandez Lynch, and Christopher R. Deubert, NFL Player Health: The Role of Club Doctors, 46 Hastings Center Rep. 2 (2016).
• I. Glenn Cohen, Holly Fernandez Lynch, and Christopher R. Deubert, When the NFL calls the doctor,Bos. Globe, Nov. 17, 2016.
• Christopher R. Deubert, I. Glenn Cohen, and Holly Fernandez Lynch, Protecting and Promoting the Health of NFL Players: Legal and Ethical Analysis and Recommendations(2016).
• Glenn M. Wong, Chris Deubert and Justin Hayek, NCAA Division I Athletic Directors: An Analysis of the Responsibilities, Qualifications and Characteristics, 22 Jeffrey S. Moorad Sports L.J. 1 (2015).
• Chris Deubert, A Summary of the NFL’s Investigation into the New Orleans Saints Alleged Bounty Program and Related Proceedings, 9 DePaul J. Sports L. & Contemporary Problems 123 (2013).
• Chris Deubert, Glenn M. Wong and Daniel Hatman, National Football League General Managers: An Analysis of the Responsibilities, Qualifications and Characteristics,20 Villanova Sports & Ent. L.J. 427 (2013).
• Chris Deubert, Economic Realities & Issues Amateur Athletes Encounter, 19 DePaul J. Sports L. & Contemporary Problems 155 (2012).
• Chris Deubert, Glenn Wong and John Howe, All Four Quarters: A Retrospective and Analysis of the 2011 Collective Bargaining Process and Agreement in the National Football League, 19 UCLA Ent. L. Rev. 1 (2012).
• Chris Deubert, Putting Shoulder Pads on Schleck: How the Business of Professional Cycling Could Be Improved Through a More American Structure, 37 Brooklyn J. Int’l L. 65 (2011).
• Glenn Wong, Warren Zola and Chris Deubert, Going Pro in Sports: Improving Guidance to Student-Athletes in a Complicated Legal and Regulatory Environment, 28 Cardozo Arts & Ent. L.J. 553 (2011).
• Chris Deubert, What’s a “Clean” Agent to Do? The Case for a Cause of Action Against a Players Association, 18 Villanova Sports & Ent. L.J. 1 (2011).
• Glenn Wong and Chris Deubert, National Basketball Association General Managers: An Analysis of the Responsibilities, Qualifications and Characteristics, 18 Villanova Sports & Ent. L.J. 213 (2011).
• Glenn Wong and Chris Deubert, The Legal and Business Aspects of Career-Ending Disability Insurance Policies in Professional and College Sports, 17 Villanova Sports & Ent. L.J. 473 (2010).
• Glenn Wong and Chris Deubert, Major League Baseball General Managers: An Analysis of the Responsibilities, Qualifications and Characteristics, 18 NINE: J. Baseball History and Culture 74 (2010).
• Glenn Wong, Kyle Skillman and Chris Deubert, The NCAA’s Infractions Appeals Committee: Recent Case History and the Beginning of a New Chapter, 9 Virginia Sports & Ent. L.J. 47 (2009).
• Chris Deubert and Glenn Wong, Understanding the Evolution of Signing Bonuses and Guaranteed Money in the NFL: Preparing for the 2011 Collective Bargaining Negotiations, 16 UCLA Ent. L. Rev. 179 (2009).
• Appeared as a guest lecturer on sports law issues on numerous occasions at Harvard Law School, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, St. John’s University School of Law, New York University, and St. Joseph’s University.
• Appeared as a panelist on sports law issues at symposiums or conferences on numerous occasions at, among other places, Harvard Law School, the Sports Lawyers Association Annual Conference, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, Fordham University School of Law, American University Washington College of Law, New York Law School, DePaul University College of Law, George Washington University, Northeastern University School of Law, Stonehill College, the NCAA Scholarly Colloquium, the Society for Risk Analysis Annual Conference, the Sports Philanthropic Network, and the New York City Bar Association