2024 Athletes in Law Special Issue

2024 Athletes in Law Special Issue attorneyatlawmagazine.com/s... 2024 Athletes in Law Special Issue Attorney at Law Magazine is proud to introduce its 2024 Athletes in Law special issue celebrating lawyers who played collegiate sports nationwide.  Lawyers! I’m excited to introduce our first National Athletes in Law special issue! A few years ago, we launched this concept in our flagship print magazine – Phoenix. It has been a pleasure to bring this to our national readership. Check out the Then & Now section, starting on page 12, featuring lawyers from across the country who played a collegiate sport or a comparable level of athleticism. Thank you to all the lawyers who participated in the issue. VIEW 2024 ATHLETES IN LAW ISSUE In this issue, we also sat down with several lawyers to share their story with our readers. Marissa Maggio not only ran track at the University of Texas and through law school, she continued her athletic aspirations (competing in the USA National Championships and being selected for the European Championships Italian relay team) while balancing her career as an upcoming lawyer. Read more about Marissa in her story, “A Mission for Excellence” on page 6. Russell Button followed in his father’s footsteps to play basketball. He earned a scholarship to attend Midwestern State University, where he played guard on the basketball team. Today, Russell is the founding partner of The Button Law Firm, a personal injury practice. Read his full story, “The Winning Approach Court to Courtroom” on page 8. Greene Broillet & Wheeler LLP boasts of four standout lawyer athletes. We sat down with each to discuss their unique path to their sport as well as their journey to the practice of law in “Gaining a Competitive Edge” on page 18. Geoffrey Wells carved a name for himself as a competent pitcher at the University of Washington. Aaron Osten took to the water, surfing for San Diego State University. Scott Carr was introduced to trapshooting by his grandfather who supported his competitive career from the age of 8. Finally, Christian Nickerson played forward on his high school hockey team, scoring the game-winning goal in the state championships. Russell Babb’s football coach at UNC encouraged him to step up and be a leader. He responded to the charge on the field and in his future career as a criminal defense lawyer. Today, he’s taking up the helm as co-managing partner of Tharrington Smith. Read his story, “Criminal Defense: The Coolest Thing in the World” on page 24. Our next special issue will honor the lawyers who served their country. For more information on the Veterans in Law issue, to nominate a lawyer or participate, please contact me. Happy Reading, Ken Kenneth Minniti Publisher The Stories Russell Button: The Winning Approach Court to Courtroom From the basketball court to the courtroom, attorney Russell Button knows the value of hard work, discipline and teamwork. Attending college on a basketball scholarship, Button honed not just his athletic skills but the traits that would later define his legal career. Read More » The Athletes of Greene Broillet & Wheeler LLP In this high-stakes world of legal recompense, success often hinges on perseverance, strategy, and teamwork – qualities that are also considered integral to success in sports. For this special issue of Attorney at Law Magazine, we spoke with four standout attorneys from GBW who all attribute their professional success, at least in part, to their athletic training. Read More » Marissa Maggio: A Mission for Excellence We sat down with Marissa Maggio, the founder of Maggio Injury Law in Plano, Texas. In her undergrad at the University of Texas, she was a sprinter on the track and field team. Her ambitions even took her to the Olympic trials before she found her way to the practice of law. AALM: Tell us about your time in track Read More » Guarding the Brand: Intellectual Property Challenges in Sports Athletes and major sports organizations aren’t just participants in a game; they are powerful global brands that capture the hearts and attention of millions. Their influence extends far beyond the field, drawing fans into a world where every game, piece of merchandise and social media interaction matters. With great influence comes great responsibility, especially when it comes to protecting intellectual Read More » Russell Babb: Criminal Defense is the Coolest Thing in the World Raleigh criminal defense attorney Russell Babb recalled his first criminal case. “I represented a young guy who was suspected of being a drug dealer,” Babb said. Police executed a search warrant and found a large amount of marijuana, scales and cash. “I worked that case to death. I thought it was the coolest thing in the world.” The client accepted Read More » Russell Button: The Winning Approach Court to Courtroom From the basketball court to the courtroom, attorney Russell Button knows the value of hard work, discipline and teamwork. Attending college on a basketball scholarship, Button honed not just his athletic skills but the traits that would later define his legal career. Read More » The Athletes of Greene Broillet & Wheeler LLP In this high-stakes world of legal recompense, success often hinges on perseverance, strategy, and teamwork – qualities that are also considered integral to success in sports. For this special issue of Attorney at Law Magazine, we spoke with four standout attorneys from GBW who all attribute their professional success, at least in part, to their athletic training. Read More » Marissa Maggio: A Mission for Excellence We sat down with Marissa Maggio, the founder of Maggio Injury Law in Plano, Texas. In her undergrad at the University of Texas, she was a sprinter on the track and field team. Her ambitions even took her to the Olympic trials before she found her way to the practice of law. AALM: Tell us about your time in track Read More » Guarding the Brand: Intellectual Property Challenges in Sports Athletes and major sports organizations aren’t just participants in a game; they are powerful global brands that capture the hearts and attention of millions. Their influence extends far beyond the field, drawing fans into a world where every game, piece of merchandise and social media interaction matters. With great influence comes great responsibility, especially when it comes to protecting intellectual Read More » Russell Babb: Criminal Defense is the Coolest Thing in the World Raleigh criminal defense attorney Russell Babb recalled his first criminal case. “I represented a young guy who was suspected of being a drug dealer,” Babb said. Police executed a search warrant and found a large amount of marijuana, scales and cash. “I worked that case to death. I thought it was the coolest thing in the world.” The client accepted Read More » THEN & NOW Attorney at Law Magazine sat down with the following lawyers who played collegiate athletics (or a comparable level), taking a look at their “then” as an athlete and how that impacted their “now” as a lawyer.  Ryan McCollum Law Firm: Whitley Law Firm in Raleigh, NC  College: United States Military Academy at West Point Sport: Rugby Years Played: 2012-2014 How is your career today different than you envisioned in college or law school? Very different. I knew I was going straight into the active-duty Army after graduation and wasn’t sure whether I’d ever apply to law school. Even then, I figured I’d apply for the JAG program and go that route. My career as a civil plaintiff’s lawyer is outside the realm of anything I would have envisioned at West Point. How do you think rubgy impacted your legal career? What are some lessons you apply to your practice today? Rugby taught me to have a profound respect for the opposing side. The sport is unique in that after most matches both teams get together for a social to share drinks and celebrate the fact that we get to go out there and do what we love for 80 minutes. I try to carry that with me in my practice today and remember that I have much more in common with defense counsel than I’d like to admit, and that we’re both doing our best to represent our clients. Tell us about an athlete in your sport (or another) who truly inspired you and why. I grew up playing football and, though it pains me to say it as an avid Cleveland Browns fan, I was most inspired by Troy Polamalu. The way he prepared for each game made him able to read the offense before the ball was even snapped, and then he would fly across the field with reckless abandon after the snap and make incredible plays. He inspired me to study the game meticulously and then step with the confidence of a person who knows where they’re going when it’s time to move. Are you still involved in the sport in any way today? I wish. I thought about playing again after getting out of the Army and starting law school but didn’t want to risk getting injured or concussed with my 1L exams around the corner. I’d love to get back into it at some point as a coach if I could find the time. Ben Winnett Law Firm: Latham & Watkins LLP in Chicago College: University of Michigan Sport: Men’s Varsity Ice Hockey – Center Years Played: 2007-2011 (drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft) How do you think athletics impacted your legal career? What are some lessons you apply to your practice today? Athletics, particularly a team sport, taught me the importance of being part of something bigger than yourself.  At Latham, I’m part of a large, international law firm that gets to work with brilliant colleagues all over the world representing sophisticated clients on IPOs and other financings.  Playing varsity hockey at Michigan taught me the importance of dedication, discipline and teamwork –

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