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BESLA’s 45th Annual Conference proudly features an extraordinary lineup of thought leaders, industry innovators, and trailblazing professionals who continue to shape the future of Sports, Entertainment, Film, Music, Technology, Business, and beyond. Our distinguished moderators and panelists bring a wealth of experience and insight, offering engaging discussions that challenge perspectives and inspire progress. From exploring cutting-edge trends to addressing the most pressing issues in law and business, this year’s sessions promise to deliver impactful dialogue, practical strategies, and meaningful connections that reflect BESLA’s enduring commitment to excellence and advancement in the entertainment and sports industries.
Sports
The Business of Play: Law, Investment, and Policy in Sports and Entertainment
Alvin B. Carter III
Senior Associate
Brown Rudnick
(Moderator)
David Moreno
Partner
Norton Rose Fulbright
Marcus Sandifer
Counsel
Krevolin
Rick Wade
SVP of Strategic
Alliances and Outreach
US Chamber of Commerce
General / Business & Law
The Diaspora Means Business - Connecting with Africa Through Sports, Fashion and Entertainment
Joseph K. West, Esq.
Partner and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer
Duane Morris LLP
(Moderator)
Dave Umeh
CEO
Clouty
Sandrine Nzeukou
Co-founder and CEO of Playbook
Julie Wenah
Chairwoman
Digital Civil Rights Coalition
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Rakiat Gbadamosi
Executive Director, Business Affairs
ABC News
Fireside Chat
Beyond the Game, Beyond the Stage: Securing a Lasting Legacy
C. Anthony Mulrain
Partner and Co-Chair of Sports and Entertainment Teams
Holland & Knight
(Moderator)
Leon Henderson
Managing Director, Global Sports and Entertainment Director
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
Octavius Ted Reid, III
Senior Vice President, Global Sports and Entertainment Director
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
General Entertainment / Ethics
BESLA Founders Power Panel
Louise C. West
Joseph E. Porter III
Don Mizell
Gregory Reed
Virgil Roberts
Film (Finance / Business Law)
How Not To Finance A Film: Legal Pitfalls, Risky Deals, and Lessons from the Trenches
Channing Johnson
Partner
Loeb & Loeb LLP
(Moderator)
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Kelly Woolfolk
Founder
Culture Counsel PC
Chiquita Woolfolk-Banks
Principal
Bankable Consulting, Inc
Marjorie Williams
SVP, Head of Business Affairs
Skydance Sports
Brandon Cherry
Partner
Loeb & Loeb LLP
Technology / Business & Ethics
Code, Content, and Consequences: The New Challenges AI Presents in Entertainment & Advertising
Danielle Bulger
Partner and AI Industry Group
Co-Leader
ArentFox Schiff LLP
(Moderator)
Marcus Strong
Associate, Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice Group
Brown Rudnick LLP
Darrick J. Hooker, Esq.
Partner
Barnes & Thornberg
Bernie Lawrence
Principal
Bernie Lawrence Watkins APC
Nyanza Shaw, Esq.
Founder & Principal Attorney
Shaw Esquire
Music
Representing Creatives in the Latin Music Industry
Alicia Ferriabough
Partner
Law Offices of Robert A. Celestin
(Moderator)
Angela N. Martinez
Attorney at Law
Angie Law
Isabel Garcia
Legal Affairs
Rimas Entertainment
Boy Wonder CF
Founder, CEO & Record Producer
Chosen Few Emerald Entertainment Inc.
Jose Alvarez
A&R Executive
Rimas Entertainment
Robert A. Celestin
Owner
Law Offices of Robert A. Celestin
General Entertainment / Intellectual Property
Protecting and Preserving Legacy: From First Deal to Beyond the Final Act: Ensuring Long-Term Protection for Entertainment Clientele
Heather Beverly
Owner/Attorney at Law
Office of Heather Beverly PC
(Moderator)
Marissa Crespo
Principal
Crespo Law Office
Tabetha Plummer
Founding Partner
Plummer Carlyle Williams LLP
Charlene Glover-Hogan
Founder
Charlene Glover-Hogan
Attorney at Law PC
Songhai Taylor
Estate Manager
Primary Wave
Music
Streaming Royalties and the Fight for Fair Pay: Legal Strategies to Protect Artists in the Digital Age
Lita Rosario-Richardson
Chair, Entertainment Law Group
Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy & Ecker, P.A.
(Moderator)
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Traci Bransford
Partner, Sports & Entertainment Industry Team Leader
Parker Roe
Maurice Russell
Head of Rights Management
Mechanical Licensing Collective
Lisa Bonner
Managing Attorney
Bonner Law, PC
Corinne Cater
Principal & Owner
The Cater Firm
Sports
BESLA Presents: Women In Sports - Power Plays: Black Women Leading Legal Strategy in the NFL
Charla Claypool
Partner
Lewis Rice, LLC
(Moderator)
Marissa John
VP, General Counsel,
Seattle Seahawks
Valeria Williams
VP, General Counsel
Tennessee Titans
Toks Arowojolu
VP, Deputy General Counsel
Baltimore Ravens
Kaleisha Stuart
Deputy General Counsel
Dallas Cowboys
Power Sports Breakfast
BESLA Presents: Women In Sports Breakfast
Dr. Monique Couvson
President and CEO, Author
G4GC
Kim Washington, CMP
Keynote Speaker
Director of Events,
National Basketball Association
Power Fireside Chat
Fireside Chat with DeMaurice Smith, Professor in Residence, Pepperdine Caruso School in of Law, Former Executive Director of the NFLPA
Vincent Cohen
Global Managing Partner
Dechert, LLP
(Moderator)
DeMaurice Smith
Professor in Residence
Pepperdine Caruso School in of Law (Former Executive Director of the NFLPA)
Power Panel - Constitutional Law
The Constitution on Trial: Executive Orders, Immigration Enforcement
& the Impact on Entertainment and Sports
Andrea M. O’Neal
Founding Principal
Community Alpha Strategies LLC
(Moderator)
Maurice Dyson
Professor of Law
Suffolk University
Audrea Golding
Partner
Fragomen
Wendy Greene
Director of the Center for Law, Policy
Drexel University Kline School of Law
Power Fireside Chat & Sip
Fireside Chat & Sip with Carmelo Anthony & Asani Swann
C. Anthony Mulrain
Partner and Co-Chair of Sports and Entertainment Teams
Holland & Knight
(Moderator)
Carmelo Anthony
Hall of Famer, NBA Legend,
Entrepreneur and Philanthropist
Asani Swann
CEO & Entrepreneur
I Am Wholehearted | VII(N) The Seventh Estate
