Welcome to the 47th Annual SLA Conference

I'm pleased to announce the 2023 Sports Lawyers Association Annual Conference will take place May 11-13 at the JW Marriott Los Angeles LA Live. Our Annual Conference is designed around the theme "The Athlete in Sports." The world of Sports is an exciting area in which to work, study, and play, and we'll continue to meet and bring inspired people together in forums like our annual conference, to ensure that the Sports Lawyers Association remains on the cutting edge of our industry. Conference Committee Chair Bobby Hacker, Vice Chair Maggy Carlyle, and Consulting Chair Naima Stevenson Starks, and the rest of the committee are putting together an exciting and educational program, with the same amazing speakers and variety of topics that you have come to expect from the SLA. And of course, there will be many opportunities to re-engage and connect with each other in person.

The past few years have been an exciting time for the SLA. We have worked to remain more connected with you throughout the year, provide additional opportunities for engagement, and apply more creativity to everything we do. Let me give you a brief update on where we are today. We are proud that we:

• Hosted our first annual Sports Lawyers Association Fall Symposium, "The Future of Sports Media and Data Rights," providing great content with live engagement;
• Expanded opportunities for involvement in the Association, and to that end included more non-board members (51) on Association committees than ever before;
• Strengthened our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and developed some exciting initiatives, including affinity groups to provide increased conversation and connection;
• Continued to review and evolve our strategy for creating and hosting a highly-respected, content-rich, and well-attended SLA Annual Conference;
• Reconfigured the NextGen Committee to further engage and better serve our new lawyer and law student members;
• Continued to develop and produce excellent content and programming;
• Continued to expand our educational reach beyond the Annual Conference and establish our outward presence as thought leaders across the industry; and
• Increased engagement with our sponsors (including some new ones) to provide year-round connection and benefits for them--and for you, our members.

We hope that you will join us. The Annual Conference will offer a tremendous educational and networking experiences as well as a chance to relax and socialize with friends and colleagues, new and old, from all over the US and the world. I can't wait to see you all!

Allison Rich, Esq., Ed.D.
President, Sports Lawyers Association