Richard Brand Listed Among Daily Journal’s ‘Top 100 Lawyers’ for Fifth Year

ArentFox Schiff is pleased to announce that San Francisco Managing Partner and Sports Practice Co-Leader Richard Brand has been named among Daily Journal’s “Top 100 Lawyers” for the fourth year in a row and fifth time overall for his continuing impact on the legal profession.

Rich was previously recognized in 2017, 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Daily Journal’s profile highlighted Rich’s unexpected entrance into Sports law. After eight years focused on real estate transactions, he was approached by then-firm Chairman David Osnos about representing Washington Bullets and Washington Capitals owner, Abe Pollin, who was building a new sports arena in downtown Washington, DC.

“It took less time to say yes than it did to type this sentence,” Rich told Daily Journal. “And that’s how I started in sports law.”

Rich’s practice has since grown to encompass every facet of sports law, including major stadium projects, team transactions, and sponsorship deals. He is currently handling sponsorship and revenue-generating work for the New York City FC’s new stadium, Etihad Park, which he describes as “fascinating, exciting and exhausting — you deal with countless intertwined transactions all in a condensed time period.”

Rich has also maintained a long-standing relationship with the Los Angeles Lakers, doing transaction work on their lease for Crypto.com Arena, minority interest sales, and one of the largest regional media rights deals in sports history.

Daily Journal described Rich’s approach to complex transactions, not as obstacles, but as challenges that make his work rewarding. He said that these complexities — funding availability, regulatory approvals, tight deadlines — are what make the profession exciting.

Rich noted the evolution of the Sports law landscape over his career, which has moved into areas that “15 years ago didn’t exist – data protection, international trade obstacles, private equity loans, outsourcing… I am extremely fortunate to be practicing at a time where there seem to be no limits to future growth and expansion.”

Rich has been recognized as a leading sports attorney by Chambers USA and Legal 500, and the Best Lawyers in America for the past decade. He has also been recognized by Sport Business Journal, is a two-time Sport Business Journal Power Player, and in 2019 was named “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers.

Daily Journal’s annual ranking lists attorneys throughout California who have made a difference to their clients, their firms, and their profession.

Read Rich’s profile here. (Subscription required)

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