Kate also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Dallas Cup, one of the most prominent youth soccer tournaments in the United States.

In addition to her sports practice, Kate also represents commercial clients in all phases of business disputes, including pre-dispute counseling, mediation, and arbitration. Kate has successfully represented clients in complex business disputes before the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and JAMS.

Prior to joining Vela Wood, Kate spent nearly a dozen years as an attorney at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in New York where she represented clients in sports related disputes. During her time at Skadden, Kate also served as clerk and ad hoc clerk to arbitration panels in sports-related arbitrations before CAS, under both the ordinary and appeal arbitration procedures. Her work on CAS matters includes disputes relating to the international transfer of players, the interpretation and application of an international federation’s rules, and anti-doping matters. Kate also has represented large corporations in international arbitrations before the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), and International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

Kate has received several recognitions from WhosWhoLegal (WWL). She’s been named a Sports Global Leader in 2021 & 2022, a Sports & Gaming Thought Leader in 2022 & 2023 (the only Texas lawyer on this list!), and a USA Sports Thought Leader in 2023.

Outside of Vela Wood, Kate is a member of the Board of Directors of the Dallas Cup, one of the most prominent youth soccer tournaments in the United States. Kate is also a member of the Editorial Board, North America Panel of LawInSport, a member of Women In Sports Law (WISLaw), the co-chair of the International Bar Association’s Sports Arbitration Group, the co-chair of the ABA Forum on the Entertainment and Sports Industries’ Sports division, and a member of the Board of Advisers of the Jeffrey S. Moorad Center for the Study of Sports Law. She also frequently speaks on sports law-related matters and currently teaches a module to students at the Swiss School of Business and Management’s MBA in International Sports Law.

In her free time, Kate enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and dog, Oreo, and helping coach her daughter’s soccer and basketball teams.

Select Representations

*Some representations reflect Kate’s work at prior firms.

  • Professional soccer team in connection with league investigation into allegations that rival team tampered with several of its players
  • A new professional sports league in connection with league formation and sponsorship and initial governance issues
  • Professional soccer team in connection with signing players to new player agreements
  • Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) marketplace in the formation and launch of its innovative platform
  • Professional football (NFL) team in connection with organizing and hosting an international friendly match at the team’s stadium
  • Athletes and athlete agents in various transactions related to the commercialization of collegiate athletes’ NIL
  • Qatar Football Association in successfully defending against a protest fled by the U.A.E. Football Association that sought to overturn Qatar’s historic victory in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup*
  • Asian Football Confederation and Qatar Football Association Vice President in overturning discipline imposed by the FIFA Ethics Committee, which is thought to be the frst time the Appeal Committee had overturned a decision of the Ethics Committee*
  • “Big Four” U.S. professional sports league in internal investigation relating to alleged violation of league rules*
  • Organizing committee for major international sporting event in connection with internal investigatory proceedings commenced by the sporting organization*
  • Sports marketing company in breach of contract dispute concerning the commercial rights to South America’s most popular soccer tournament*
  • Men’s professional golf tour in dispute with its member arising out of the administration of the tour’s anti-doping program*

Speaking Engagements

There’s a lot of satisfaction that comes from knowing you’re doing your best, and there’s even more that comes when it begins to pay off.”

– Sir Alex Ferguson

Fun Facts:

  • While in high school, worked as a team attendant for the Washington Wizards and Mystics
  • Avid sports fan, and her favorite teams include Manchester United, Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the Washington Football Team
  • Can name all 197 countries of the world
  • Won a national highway safety poster contest as a fifth grader; her artistic skills have gone downhill since then.

Education:

  • Instituto Superior de Derecho y Economía (ISDE), Madrid, LL.M.
  • Villanova University School of Law, J.D.
  • Wake Forest University, B.A.