8:30 AM Registration with coffee, tea, and pastries

9:00 AM    Welcome

•  Jacob Jimenez, Candidate Development and Symposium Editor, Loyola Law Review

• Robert Garda Dean, Interim Associate Dean of Faculty Development and Academic Affairs, Eleanor Legier Sarpy Distinguished Professor of Law, Loyola University - New Orleans, College of Law

9:10 AM    Foundations: Defining Name, Image, and Likeness and its Framework

This presentation will introduce Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), explaining what it is and how it allows student-athletes to profit from their personal brand. By establishing this foundation, the presentation will equip the symposium audience with the foundation necessary to understand the compliance, contractual, and regulatory issues that shape the modern landscape of college athletics.

• Mitchell F. Crusto - Henry F. Bonura, Jr., Distinguished Professor of Law, Loyola University New Orleans - College of Law

9:30 AM    Break

9:35 AM    Name, Image and Likeness in High School Athletics: Legal Authority, Parental Rights, and Emerging Risks of Liability

This presentation provides a firsthand account of representing high school athletes navigating the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) landscape. Drawing from his experience advising young athletes and their families, the speaker will address the legal and practical challenges unique to minors, including contract negotiation, compliance, and eligibility concerns. The session will highlight common pitfalls and best practices to ensure young athletes capitalize on opportunities while protecting their long-term interests.

• Michael Victorian, Commercial Litigation & Sports Industry and NIL Attorney, Phelps Dunbar L.L.P.

10:20 AM    Break

 10:30 AM   University NIL Compliance: Navigating State Law, NCAA Rules, and Federal Uncertainty

This panel will focus on NIL compliance from the institutional perspective, analyzing how universities and athletic departments manage evolving and often conflicting regulatory regimes. Topics include institutional oversight obligations, the interaction between State NIL statutes and NCAA guidance, and the growing influence of federal litigation and proposed litigation. Panelists will explore best practices for internal compliance structures, the role of in-house and outside counsel, and legal consequences of non-compliance in an era of rapidly shifting governance.

• Moderator: Karl Bernard - Attorney at Karl Bernard Law, Adjunct Professor, Loyola University New Orleans - College of Law

• Mary Claire Logue, Executive Director of NILSU MAX, Louisiana State University

• Walter “Fritz” Metzinger, III, Attorney, Stone Pigman Walther Wittman, L.L.C.

11:30 AM     Lunch

12:30 PM     Keynote: Institutional Leadership in the Modern Era of College Athletics

• Verge Ausberry, Director of Athletics, Louisiana State University

1:15 PM     Break

1:20 PM     Art of the NIL Deal: Contract Drafting, Negotiation, and Athlete Protection

This panel addresses NIL transactions from the perspective of deal making and contract enforcement. This discussion will center on common NIL contract structures, valuation challenges, and the allocation of risk between athletes and commercial partners. Panelists will examine key contractual provisions, terms, termination, exclusivity, morality clauses, and dispute resolution, while highlighting pitfalls that may disadvantage athletes. The Panel will also consider the ethical and professional responsibilities of attorneys representing athletes in an increasingly commercialized collegiate sports market.

• Moderator: Robert Garda, Jr. - Interim Associate Dean of Faculty Development and Academic Affairs, Eleanor Legier Sarpy Distinguished Professor of Law, Loyola University New Orleans - College of Law

• Daniel Davillier, Partner and Sports Law Attorney, The Davillier Law Group

• Mitchell F. Crusto - Henry F. Bonura, Jr., Distinguished Professor of Law, Loyola University New Orleans -College of Law

2:20 PM     Break

2: 25 PM     NIL and the Future of College Sports: Litigation, Legislation, and Institutional Control

This section seeks to explore the litigation landscape helping shape the present and future of NIL with particular emphasis on antitrust challenges to NCAA authority and institutional control over athlete compensation. Panelist will discuss recent and pending cases nationally, sports agent clearing, salary cap guidelines. This discussion will conclude with an examination of proposed regulations, efforts to secure antitrust exemptions, and what these developments signal for the long-term governance of college athletics.

• Moderator: Professor Blaine LeCescne, Associate Dean of Mission and Identity and Donna and John Fraiche Distinguished Professor of Law, Loyola University - New Orleans, College of Law

• Professor Gabriel Feldman, Director Sports Law Program and Co-Director, Tulane Center for Sport, and Sher Garner Professor of Sports Law and Paul and Abram B. Barron Professor of Law, Tulane University - College of Law

• Kordell Caldwell, Associate Attorney, Baker Donelson

• Tan Boston, Associate Professor of Law, Northern Kentucky University - Salmon P. Chase College of Law