Federal Court Rules in Favor of Firm Client Zion Williamson

U.S. District Judge Loretta Biggs has denied a series of motions against Robinson Bradshaw client Zion Williamson in an ongoing legal dispute between the NBA star and his former marketing agent and her agency.

Williamson sued marketing agent Gina Ford and Prime Sports Marketing to terminate his marketing agreement, which Williamson signed while he was a student-athlete at Duke University. Ford countersued, claiming breach of contract. Biggs ruled in favor of Williamson on his complaint, declaring that the contract violated the North Carolina Uniform Athlete Agent Act because, among several reasons, Williamson was a student-athlete at the time he signed the agreement, Ford was not a certified agent in North Carolina and the agreement lacked legally required eligibility warnings. Ford moved Judge Biggs to reverse her ruling, arguing that  Williamson lacked NCAA eligibility and urging her to uphold the agreement. Judge Biggs’s recent ruling rejected Ford’s arguments.

"Defendants [Ford and Prime Sports] merely rehash their previous arguments that have been rejected by this court," Biggs wrote. "Despite defendants' many arguments, they have still not provided any relevant case law that would suggest that it is for this court to exercise oversight on how private organizations enforce and investigate alleged violations of their rules."

Robinson Bradshaw attorneys John R. Wester, Robert E. Harrington and Fitz E. Barringer represent Williamson, along with co-counsel Jeffrey S. Klein of Clarick Gueron Reisbaum and Lauren E. Richards of Weil, Gotshal & Manges.

Law360 covered the recent development. “NBA Star's Ex-Agent Can't Get 2nd Shot At Contract Suit” is available here.