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Christopher M. Brolley

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Chris concentrates his practice on federal and statewide product liability litigation through his representation of pharmaceutical and medical device companies involving mass tort, personal injury, and wrongful death claims across the U.S. He also represents clients at the state and federal level in matters ranging from breach of contract and corporate governance to data privacy and security. Chris advises higher educational institutions of all sizes, including colleges and universities, on Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) compliance issues. He provides comprehensive guidance on permissible and impermissible NIL activities and navigating state NIL laws, NCAA Bylaws, and other NCAA policies. Chris creates and implements tailored strategies for mitigating the potential risk of NCAA and state attorney general enforcement activity. He co-hosts the firm's Highway to NIL podcast that discusses the legal landscape and developments in the area of NIL law.

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Recently, Pennsylvania’s Saint Francis University announced its decision to reclassify its intercollegiate athletics program from NCAA Division I to Division III, citing the difficulty in governance associated with college athletics, which is only growing in “complexity based on realities like the transfer portal, pay-for-play, and other shifts that move athletics away from love of the game.” Saint Francis is the first school to reclassify its athletics programs in response to the pending House settlement.

On March 13, the NCAA issued guidance in the form of a Q&A defining the scope of the eligibility waiver it previously approved on December 23, 2024, for student-athletes who have competed at non-NCAA institutions, such as junior colleges (JUCO) and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) schools. The December 2024 waiver[1] extended an extra year of eligibility in the 2025-26 academic year to student-athletes who previously “competed at a non-NCAA school for one or more years,” and otherwise would have exhausted their NCAA eligibility following the 2024-25 season.

One major issue underlying the pending House v. NCAA settlement is its impact on international students on F-1 student visas (academic student). As analyzed in a previous episode of Highway to NIL, if approved, the House settlement will allow Division I schools to directly compensate their student-athletes for their name, image, and likeness (NIL) as part of a revenue-sharing system. However, international students may jeopardize their status within the U.S. if they accept this money.

Twenty-seven days after the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) of the outgoing Biden administration issued long-awaited Title IX guidance relating to name, image, and likeness (NIL) payments by schools and third-party collectives and/or boosters, the DOE Office for Civil Rights (OCR) under the Trump administration officially rescinded the nine-page guidance document. We addressed and discussed the DOE’s guidance and its implications in a recent episode of Highway to NIL.

The Highway to NIL Podcast analyzes the legal landscape concerning college athletics and the regulation of name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights of student athletes. The podcast provides key insights into the current state of affairs, focusing on the NIL guidance and policies coming directly from the NCAA; the various passed and amended state NIL laws; and NIL enforcement, including how the NCAA, state attorneys general, and other regulators may investigate and punish schools for NIL violations.

The Highway to NIL Podcast analyzes the legal landscape concerning college athletics and the regulation of name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights of student athletes. The podcast provides key insights into the current state of affairs, focusing on the NIL guidance and policies coming directly from the NCAA; the various passed and amended state NIL laws; and NIL enforcement, including how the NCAA, state attorneys general, and other regulators may investigate and punish schools for NIL violations.

The Highway to NIL Podcast analyzes the legal landscape concerning college athletics and the regulation of name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights of student athletes. The podcast provides key insights into the current state of affairs, focusing on the NIL guidance and policies coming directly from the NCAA; the various passed and amended state NIL laws; and NIL enforcement, including how the NCAA, state attorneys general, and other regulators may investigate and punish schools for NIL violations.

The Highway to NIL Podcast analyzes the legal landscape concerning college athletics and the regulation of name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights of student athletes. The podcast provides key insights into the current state of affairs, focusing on the NIL guidance and policies coming directly from the NCAA; the various…