Texas Amendment Would Open Door For Commercial Casinos
By Blake Hart
On February 8, 2021, San Antonio Democratic Senator Roland Gutierrez filed Senate Joint Resolution 36 (SJR 36 or hereafter, the “Amendment”) in an effort to amend the Texas Constitution and thus pave the way for commercial casinos in Texas. If passed, the Amendment opens the door for the Texas legislature to pass laws permitting the licensure and regulation of up to twelve Texas casinos, and Senate Bill 616 (S.B. 616), Gutierrez’s other piece of legislation, does just that. Read More
College Athlete Advocacy Lawyers
By Justin Sievert
At Vela Wood, we pride ourselves on passionately representing the interests of prospective and current college athletes nationwide. Read More
Head Coach Monitoring: Understanding NCAA Requirements and Proactively Protecting Your Interests
By Justin Sievert
While many head coaches believe their head coach monitoring responsibilities are being met, numerous infractions involving high-profile coaches indicate a disconnect between the expectations of the NCAA enforcement staff and NCAA Division I infractions hearing bodies, and current practices head coaches believe to be sufficient. Read More
The Name, Image, and Likeness Legal and NCAA Regulatory Landscape
By Justin Sievert
The purpose of this article is to summarize the name, image, and likeness legal landscape, and the rights athletes would have to commercialize their right of publicity depending on what is ultimately legislated. Read More
NAIA Passes Name, Image, and Likeness Legislation
By Justin Sievert
As college athletics awaits the NCAA’s proposed modifications to its name, image, and likeness legislation, the NAIA has become the first intercollegiate athletics governing body to pass legislation permitting athletes compensation for the use of their name, image, and likeness. … Read More
NCAA Compliance 101: Understanding the NCAA’s Drug-Testing Appeals Process
By Justin Sievert
The NCAA’s drug-testing program is designed to promote fair and equitable competition in college athletics and to deter college athletes from using performance-enhancing drugs or other banned substances. As part of the program, the NCAA provides year-round, championships, and bowl game drug testing. Read More
Add-On Acquisitions in Lower Middle Market Private Equity
By Paul Wolpert
While the second quarter of 2020 continued a COVID-propelled downward trend in M&A deal activity, there was a sharp increase in the proportion of sponsor-backed “add-on” acquisitions relative to overall deal volume. Read More
IRS States That DFS Operators Are Liable For Excise Tax
By Kevin Vela
A recent IRS Internal Memorandum has ruled that DFS operators must pay federal excise taxes on entry fees, a viewpoint that, if enforced, could have widespread effects on the fantasy industry. Read More
The Mechanics of Converting Convertible Notes
By Kevin Vela
Convertible notes are a great tool for venture financing, however, the actual mechanics of converting convertible notes is not a simple task and requires great care. Read More
Maintaining Sponsorship Partnerships During COVID-19 and Beyond
By Justin Sievert
Colleges and universities should make ensure they have a solid understanding of how COVID-19 may impact each sponsorship agreement and potential concerns each sponsor may have. Read More
Advisor Exclusions
By Lacey Shrum
There are some specific exclusions from the SEC and Texas state rule for what constitutes an Investment Adviser. Read More
Buying What You Are Selling
By Lacey Shrum
Unless there is an exemption, an Investment Company needs to file with the SEC and make certain disclosures to investors. Read More
