Shawn Stuckey

Shawn D. Stuckey, Attorney at Law

Shawn Stuckey is a "Top Rated Entertainment & Sports Attorney" in California ranked in the top 5% of California lawyers according to the highly respected lawyer rating service - Super Lawyers. Shawn is a retired football player (NFL: New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Bucs), (NFL Europe: Amsterdam Admirals, and (XFL: Los Angeles Xtreme). Shawn is also an experienced complex litigation and worker’s compensation attorney, and a former NFL agent. As a complex litigation and sports workers compensation attorney, Shawn has been counsel of record in over 88 United States federal court cases and decisions and over 100 workers compensation trials and decisions. These decisions have significantly benefited current and former professional athletes. Shawn has worked on some of the most complex antitrust, sports law, and insurance coverage cases in the country including, inter alia:

• Representing over 100 NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL hall of famers in complex civil litigation and workers compensation matters; 
• Representing retired NFL players against the NFL in the 2011 NFL Lockout; 
• Representing over 35 NFL Hall of Famers against the NFLPA;
• Representing current and former NCAA football and basketball players in O’Bannon v. NCAA (named by Sports Illustrated as the "Most Important Trial in Sports History");
• Coverage and subrogation claims arising from the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks; 
• Uncovering concealed documents and medical records and filing both serious and willful actions and U.S. federal cases against several insurers and professional sports teams .

​EDUCATION

• The University of St. Thomas School of Law (Minneapolis, MN), High Distinction:
  • Dean’s Honors List;
  • 3 Dean’s Awards for Academic Excellence (highest grade in course)
• The Citadel College of Business, Former M.B.A. Candidate
• Troy University, B.S.B.A. Marketing and Business, High Distinction
• Vanderbilt University, Cognitive Studies

BAR AND COURT ADMISSIONS

• State Court: Minnesota
• State Court: California
• Federal Court: Minnesota

Shawn was selected to “Best Attorneys of America,” (an honor limited to only 100 attorneys in each state); “National Black Lawyers 40 Under 40”, a Super Lawyers Rising Star in Minnesota (an honor only given to the top 2.5% of attorneys in the state), and was a featured speaker at the 2017 American Bar Association (ABA) Litigation Section’s Annual Conference on a panel program entitled “Litigating the Concussion Crisis”. ​

In 2020, 2021, & 2022, Shawn was selected as a Top 100 National Black Lawyer. 

Shawn, an award-winning author, published two law review articles while in law school attending the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis (one with UCLA Law School and one with UST Law School). Additionally, in law school, Shawn held the positions of Circulation Editor for the Midwest BLSA Law Journal and Associate Editor for the University of St. Thomas School of Law Law Review; received three Dean’s Awards (highest grade in a course), and was selected to the dean’s list.

Shawn was UST’s Amnesty International’s 2008 Human Rights Award recipient given by the UST-Law Chapter of Amnesty International and was selected as the 2008 winner of the University of St. Thomas Scholarly Engagement and Societal Reform Award.

Shawn was asked to give testimony at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland regarding the United States’ treaty compliance obligations.

ATHLETE REPRESENTATION

In addition to legal services, Shawn was a certified NFL Agent/NFLPA Contract Advisor. 

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

SPORTS LAW REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS OF NOTE:

O’Bannon v. NCAA (N.D. Cal. Fed. Ct.) (Sports Illustrated: “Most important trial in sports history”; called by SB Nation: “The biggest trial in the history of college sports”) Represented former NCAA basketball and football players in a case seeking to obtain licensing revenues to which they were entitled in a class action against the NCAA. This case had been heralded by some to be the landmark case that will change whether college football players are compensated.

NCAA Athletic Grant-In-Aid Cap Antitrust Litigation (N.D. Cal. Fed. Ct.) (antitrust attack on the NCAA’s scholarship amounts to give every athlete “full scholarship” athlete an actual full scholarship that covers the costs of all costs of college – including all meals, books, etc. instead of what currently exists – which is a “grant-in-aid” scholarship that is capped and does not cover certain critical costs for athletes)

Dryer v. NFL – (Minn. Fed. Ct.) Represented former NFL players – including Jim Brown – in a suit arising out of the misappropriation of NFL players publicity rights. Suit resulted in a $50 million dollar settlement and the creation of a licensing agency for retired NFL players. 

Eller et al., v. NFL (Minn. Fed. Ct.) (Consolidated as Brady et. al, v. National Football League) (represented retired NFL players against the NFL during the 2011 NFL Lockout)

Eller et al., (Minn. Fed. Ct.) (represented 26 NFL Hall of Famers and other notable players)

Walker v. NCAA (Minn. Fed. Ct.) (concussions/medical monitoring/CTE case on behalf of all former NCAA players)

Floyd v. NCAA (Minn. Fed. Ct.) (antitrust attack on the NCAA’s scholarship amounts)

Walker v. NCAA (D. Tenn.) (concussions/medical monitoring/CTE case on behalf of all former NCAA players)

Murphy v. NHL (former National Hockey League players in a medical monitoring/concussion case against the NHL)

SAMPLE WORKERS COMPENSATION MATTERS OF NOTE:

Smith v. Los Angeles Lakers - (Shawn D. Stuckey)

• CA Court of Appeals denying writ and finding for former professional athlete that applicant is entitled to the higher rates in effect when claim was filed; payments begin accruing at the end of career; and life pension payments must be increased every year for the remainder of the applicant's life.​

Webster v. Montreal Expos, et al. – (Shawn D. Stuckey) 

• Jurisdiction found where professional athlete employed by minor league professional baseball team based in California - even though Major League employer based outside of California.

KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS:

2008 National Black Pre-law Admissions Conference, keynote speaker

CLE PRESENTATIONS:

“Litigating the Concussion Crisis“ Presentation at the American Bar Association (ABA) Litigation Section’s Annual Conference, May 3, 2017, presenter

“Sports Concussion Litigation: Bringing or Defending Claims Against Professional, Collegiate or Youth Leagues“ Strafford Publications, December 6, 2017

“Labor and Employment Law in the NCAA: A New Chapter?” West LegalEdcenter, CLE Webcast, June 3, 2014, organizer/presenter

“Could Concussion Liability Reshape Youth Sports?” Santa Clara University Institute of Sports Law and Ethics Symposium, September 12, 2013, panelist

Legal and Ethical Ramifications of Concussions in Sports, Santa Clara University Institute of Sports Law and Ethics Symposium, September 8, 2011, presenter

Racial Bias: How Much Do Implicit Views Impact the Legal Profession?, West LegalEdcenter Webcast, April 21, 2011, presenter

LAW REVIEW ARTICLES:

“Decreasing the Accessibility to Criminal History Records to Diminish the Devastating Impacts of Collateral Effects on African Americans in Minnesota,” UCLA Latino/a - Chicano/a Law Journal (CCLL), Vol. 27 (2008), author

“Collateral Effects of Arrests in Minnesota,” U. St. Thomas L.J., Vol. 5, No. 1 (2008), author

AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION AND OTHER SCHOLARLY ARTICLES:

“What O’Bannon Means For NCAA’s Next Round Of Litigation” Competition Law360, September 3, 2014, co-author

“NCAA’s Latest Legal Nightmare May Be Most Important” Competition Law360, July 11, 2014, co-author

“Novel Approach to Opposing Class Certification Rejected,” Competition Law360, March 7, 2013, co-author

“Why Millions of African American Men Will Not Vote for Obama,” St. Thomas Lawyer (Vol. 2 Summer 2008), author

“Collateral Effects of Arrests for African Americans,” American Bar Association (ABA) Minority Trial Lawyer, 2007, author

“Collateral Effects of Arrests –What the Public Needs to Know,” Challenger, July 2007, author

“Use of Promotions with the African-American Market Segment: A Research Agenda,” From Art to Technology: Opportunities in Marketing Research and Education, Jerry W. Wilson, Editor. Proceedings of the Atlantic Marketing Association, 463 – 466 (2002); co-authored with Dr. Gordon G. Mosley

PRESENTATIONS, SPEECHES:

US’ Non-Compliance with a Specified Treaty, 2008 United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, speaker

2007 National Black Pre-law Admissions Conference, featured presenter

Collateral Effects and Their Impact on People of Color in Minnesota, 2007 Minnesota Women Lawyers, speaker

Human Rights Treaties and Laws, 2006 Minnesota State Human Rights Day, speaker

Class Action Principles and Procedure, NFL Independent Retired Players Summit, Las Vegas, NV, May 30, 2009, presenter

INTERVIEWS, QUOTED ARTICLES, ETC.

Interviewed by Elizabeth Hasselbeck on Fox News’ morning show Fox & Friends, May 19, 2014. Appearance was featured on 2 television programs and 23 websites/blogs.

Super Lawyers Minnesota ANNUAL LIST, 2013, quoted

“Prominent former college players support O’Bannon case” USA Today, April 5, 2014, quoted

“John Hannah, Eric Dickerson, Thurman Thomas among supporters of changing NCAA system” AL.com, April 3, 2014, quoted

“How should the NFL deal with increased legalization of marijuana?,” Sports Illustrated, January 23, 2014, quoted

“Raw Deal,” Sports on Earth, January 10, 2014, quoted

“Linebacker turned Lawyer,” Legal Bisnow, August 31, 2011, profiled

PROFESSIONALS AFFILIATIONS:

• National Football League Retired Players Association
• Federal Bar Association: Minnesota Chapter
• University of St. Thomas Center for Academics and Sports, advisory committee member

PRO BONO ACTIVITIES:

Shawn is extremely dedicated to pro bono work – amassing over 400 hours of public service between his second and third years of law school.

NOTEWORTHY:

Minnesota Women Lawyer’s Equal Justice Award, recipient

2007 Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers’ Academic Achievement Scholarship, recipient

NEWS:

Shawn Stuckey Quoted on Harvard Law School Website Regarding the Concussion Crisis in Professional Sports

Stuckey Named to Advisory Committee of the University of St. Thomas Center for Academics and Sports

Stuckey Quoted in Super Lawyers Minnesota ANNUAL LIST, 2013.

Stuckey Represents Former NFL Players in Class Action

Stuckey Selected to Represent University of St. Thomas School of Law

Shawn Stuckey Testifies at United Nations and Receives Multiple Awards

PRACTICE AREAS

• Sports Workers Compensation
• Pro Athlete Workers Compensation
• Entertainment and Sports
• Class Actions
• Athlete Representation
• Football
• Basketball
• Baseball
• Globetrotters
• Minor League Baseball
• Hockey
• Minor League Hockey
• Soccer
• Semi–Pro Football