[NBA] Legal Intern

The 2027 NBA Summer Internship is a 10-week program that runs from June 7 – August 13, 2027. The program gives participants the opportunity to learn about the business of basketball, develop critical career skills, and contribute to meaningful projects across a range of departments in the NBA and its affiliate leagues (WNBA & G League). In addition to on-the-job experience, interns are invited to participate in a broad array of professional development programming as well as community and social experiences.    

OVERVIEW

Selected interns will work with our in-house Legal department, participating in meetings, conducting research, drafting documents, and providing objective legal analysis relevant to furthering the substantive goals of our clients, the various business units of the NBA, and the NBA's constituent teams. Interns may work in different areas including deal support, intellectual property, litigation, and basketball-related matters. 

The Legal department provides advice and counsel with respect to all of the company’s activities and businesses on a global basis. For the NBA, WNBA, and NBA G League, the department assists in the negotiation and administration of collective bargaining agreements with players, including the salary cap system, the anti-drug program, and the grievance/arbitration process. The department also provides advice to these leagues on the structuring of player contracts, trades, disciplinary matters, and playing rules issues. League transactional lawyers administer policies governing the transfer and relocation of teams, the approval of new arenas, and the regulation of team ownership and debt. Our deal lawyers negotiate and advise on the structuring of business arrangements with counterparties in a variety of areas, including television, digital media, sponsorship, consumer products, gaming, and events. Our intellectual property lawyers maintain and protect the company’s worldwide portfolio of trademarks and copyrights. The legal department handles litigation, investigations, and legislative affairs, and oversees a compliance program across all of our business lines and offices.

RESPONSIBILITIES

May include, but not limited to: 

  • Conducting short-term and long-term research on existing projects within the department 

  • Participating in weekly meetings and tracking action steps and progress of major assignments  

  • Supporting legal review and advisement on projects related to the media, social responsibility, partnerships, corporate, finance, compliance, and intellectual property of the NBA and its affiliate leagues   

  • Supporting with drafting youth basketball safety compliance policies and manuals, equity deals, player appearance agreements, data privacy work, etc. 

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Enrolled in a JD Program  

  • Previous law firm/legal experience preferred 

Salary: $35/hr

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Jaia Thomas