May 1, 2009

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Today we spotlight two coaches and a manager with JD’s. These guys are Sports Lawyers With An Emphasis On Sports.

To begin, a name that is familiar to almost everyone- St.Louis Cardinal’ s manager Tony LaRussa. LaRussa has been in professional baseball for almost 45 years now. First as a journeyman player, and then has one of the top managers in the major leagues. LaRussa is known for his cerebral style of managing. He is one of only two managers to win the World Series in both the American and National Leagues. LaRussa also holds a JD from Florida State University College of Law. LaRussa was quoted as saying, “I decided I’d rather ride the buses in the minor leagues than practice law for a living”.

Next up is Texas Tech head football coach Mike Leach. Leach is noted as one of the top offensive minds in college football. Leach is also noted for the fact that he is one of the few head coaches who did not play college football. Leach has the turned the Texas Tech football program into an offensive juggernaut over the last nine years. He has a JD from the Pepperdine University School Of Law. Interestingly enough, when Leach and Texas Tech became embroiled in a public dispute about his contract this past winter, it was Leach’s own negotiating skills that helped him procure a five year extension on his contract worth $12.7 million.



Marc Trestman is another head coach who is making a living north of the border in the Canadian Football League. The head coach of the Montreal Alouettes has been a long time offensive coordinator in both the NFL and the college ranks. While Trestman was earning his JD at Miami Law School he was also coaching the University of Miami football team. In 1983 as quarterback coach he tutored Bernie Kosar during the Hurricanes national championship season. Trestman passed the Florida bar in 1983, and continued his career as a coach in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings. After numerous stops in the NFL, Trestman went back to the college football ranks in 2005. For the 2008 season Trestamn was finally named a head coach for the Montreal Alouettes. Trestman led the Alouettes to the Grey Cup against Calgary, where they lost 22-14.




If you can come up with any more lawyers who are currently either coaches or players, e-mail us at respond@sportslawtalk.com