Tune into Sports Law Chat on Twitter

We have some exciting new blogs coming soon from a couple of US lawyers who are trying a new format to engage sports law professionals. Claire Zovko and Laura Jeffords run Sports Law Chat. Here are the top ten things you needs to know about Sports Law Chat.

What is Sports Law Chat?

Sports Law Chat (#SLChat) is a Twitter Chat committed to providing an educated discussion of legal issues in sport. Each chat focuses on a hot legal topic in the sports industry. A prominent attorney practicing in that area of law educates the chat's followers on the issue. Sports Law Chat's goal is to present the facts, the law and all sides of the argument so that an informed discussion can follow.

Sports Law Chat calls itself a 'Twitter Chat'. What is that exactly?

A Twitter Chat is a scheduled gathering of people on Twitter to discuss a particular topic that draws them together. In our case, on Sundays from 8:00-9:00pm EST, participants of Sports Law Chat discuss pertinent legal issues in sport.

Why did you create the Twitter #SLChat hash tag?

A hash tag on Twitter is used to categorize Tweets and allow the hash tag to be easily found in a Twitter search. We created the #SLChat hash tag to link together the Tweets during the chat and enable our followers to easily track the discussion. Additionally, after the chat has concluded, a transcript of the conversation is produced from the #SLChat hash tag and posted to our website.  4. What is the purpose of Sports Law Chat?

The founders of Sports Law Chat noticed that commentary and discussion of sports-related legal issues in the social media space often occurred without all of the facts and law. It seemed that opinions were formed without key legal information. To facilitate educated sports law conversations in the social media space, we set out to create a forum that would provide a complete picture of relevant legal issues in the sports industry.

What is the structure of Sports Law Chat?

Each chat features a prominent sports law attorney. The chat begins with a question and answer session between the moderator (either Claire Zovko or Laura Jeffords) and the guest. Once the legal background of a particular issue has been established, questions are posed to the group for discussion and debate. This pattern continues for one hour. Sports Law Chat is not only educational, but a forum for individuals interested in this field to interact and network.

Who are the featured guests of Sports Law Chat and how do you choose them?

Sports Law Chat's guests are experienced attorneys who practice in the field of sports law. The guests are chosen by their practice area. We aim to cover a variety of areas to expose participants to the many facets of sports law.

Why should someone participate in a Sports Law Chat?

Sports Law Chat is geared to those with a legal background but welcomes anyone with a Twitter account interested in sports law. Anyone from anywhere in the world can gain knowledge from Sports Law Chat's experienced sports law practitioners and network within the sports law industry.

How can someone participate in a Sports Law Chat?

Simply follow the Twitter hashtag #SLChat on Sundays evenings 8-9pm EST. We use Tweet Chat to follow the hashtag conversation in real time. Also, TweetDeck or HootSuite are popular to follow a hashtag. For a list of scheduled chats, please see www.sportslawchat.com

What we can we look forward to from the Sports Law Chat blog?

Our blog features articles, guest backgrounds, previous chat transcripts, a chat schedule and an events page including sports conferences, symposiums and events all over the world. Before each chat, we provide the background of our guest. In addition, we feature an article giving the legal background of the chat's featured topic. Periodically, Sports Law Chat features articles on pressing legal issues in sports.