Andrew (Andy) Lee is Of Counsel with Foley & Lardner LLP, who helps to lead the firm’s Digital Assets, Web3 & NFT (DAWN) Practice Area, is a member of, and Special Advisor to, the Sports & Entertainment Industry Team, and a member of the Cannabis Industry Team. Andy’s practice groups include the firm’s Transactions Practice Group, Business Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice, and its Employment Practice.
Andy came to Foley with more than 20 years of experience in the sports, technology, media, and entertainment industries, both in-house, as an outside advisor, and as an entrepreneur, with emphasis on counseling senior-level executives at high-profile companies. Formerly the General Counsel of the New York Jets and as General Counsel of the NY/NJ Super Bowl Host Committee, Andy was recently recognized as Lawyer of the Year – Sports in the 2023 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America® and has consistently been recognized over the last decade by The Best Lawyers in America® and Superlawyers® in the fields of Sports and Entertainment Law.
Andy is a leader among lawyers in the emerging field of Digital Assets, Web3 & NFTs, Andy’s Web3 practice includes advising artists, musicians, and NFT platforms in connection with partnerships, platform launches, NFT drops, and venture capital investments. Andy has served as a panelist and speaker at the Web3 industry’s most prominent conferences and events, including at NFT.NYC and NFT Basel, among others, and has been quoted and relied upon by many news and media outlets as a trusted source in connection with Web3 and NFT news and legal issues.
Andy has extensive experience both as a corporate transactional attorney and as a litigator, having handled complex litigation and business deals involving mergers & acquisitions, NFT project launches, token issuances and regulatory compliance, media rights, sponsorships, naming rights, intellectual property, licensing and internet-related issues, music licensing, business formation, acquisitions and restructurings, business divorces, human resources, nonprofit corporation formation and operations, employment issues, antitrust, real estate, corporate compliance, and finance-related issues, among others. Andy’s clients commonly rely on him as outside general counsel to act as a member of senior management and advise on legal aspects of day-to-day operational needs, including human resources, labor and employment matters, internal and external investigations, governance issues, and strategic transactions among other things.
Representative Experience*
- Represented Vee Friends and Gary Vaynerchuck in $50 million Seed Investment from a16z
- Represented Combate Global MMA league in sale of large equity stake to Univision
- Represented national public relations & communications firm in corporate restructuring, recapitalization and succession transaction
- Representing rights-holders in domestic and international media rights deals, relating to broadcast and streaming rights, including representing Combate Global MMA league in long-term media rights and streaming deal with Univision Communications and a multi-year media rights and streaming deal with CBS Sports and Paramount+, among others.
- Successful representation of professional sports teams in a variety of arbitrations, litigations, and disputes, including federal and state court proceedings, class actions, and other proceedings
- Location and appearance releases, talent attachment, rights acquisition/option agreements, and production agreements in connection with reality TV shows, documentary films, podcasts, web series, and music video productions
- Representing artist and director Julian Schnabel in a variety of business matters, including to back-end rights, corporate structure, copyright issues and resolution of disputes, each case relating to Schnabel’s award-winning films and other business endeavors
- Employment agreements for on-screen broadcast personalities and executives at major television and radio networks
- All aspects of live event production, including venue agreements, broadcast and distribution, government relations, vendor agreements, talent agreements, concessions, ticket sales, premium sales programs, sponsorship and endorsements, promotion and marketing, rights clearance, security, and dispute resolution. Examples include all aspects of Super Bowl week, Orange Drive Miami Beach Music Festival, Montauk Music Festival, various events for the New York Jets (including annual Draft Parties, new uniform/branding launch events, facility grand openings, sponsor events, and other things)
- Formation, governance, and operations of non-profit entities in the sports/entertainment industry
- Representing celebrities, artists, authors, and executives in public relations and crisis management situations
- Serving as outside general counsel to major entertainment industry PR/communications firms
- Representing agencies and agents in the entertainment, media, and sports industries in connection with talent/client opportunities, representation agreements, employment agreements, and ancillary business opportunities
- Facilitated the successful bid of the New York City region to host the 2014 Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium
- Advised the Jets and Giants on a successful joint effort to develop and open MetLife Stadium (the nation’s only two-team NFL stadium)
- Facilitated the development of the New York Jets Atlantic Health Jets Training Center
- Successfully represented NFL and NBA players and coaches in arbitrations and litigations
*Certain of these matters were handled prior to joining Foley.
Awards and Recognition
- Selected as a 2023 “Sports Law Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers
- Since 2014, Andrew has been recognized annually by Super Lawyers® as a top-rated Entertainment & Sports Attorney
- Since 2016, Andrew has been selected annually by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® in the field of Sports Law