Firm Profile
ESG Law is a leading law firm in entertainment, sports, and gaming. Founded in 2017 by legal veterans of the gaming industry, ESG originally established itself as the first law firm to focus exclusively on esports, servicing clients that push the envelope of the esports industry in betting, content creation, brand representation, merchandising, and more. Since then, our expertise and service offering organically grew into the broader digital media, sports, and emerging industries. ESG now regularly advises and supports stakeholders in esports, sports and games as well as other emerging industries, including:
Agencies (Talent & Brand)
Apparel, Merchandising & Lifestyle
Cannabis
Full-Service Content Production
Esports
Event Production (In Person & Broadcast)
Gambling
Indie Video Game Development
Influencers & Creators
Interactive Entertainment
Professional Pickleball
SaaS
Video Game Tournament Organizers
Video Gaming Hardware & Peripherals
Video Games Publishing
With our roots deeply embedded in video games and competitive events, our team brings forth a wealth of expertise, combining big law firm experience with practical knowledge that comes with serving at an executive level in leading esports organizations, gaming businesses, and working closely alongside entrepreneurs in emerging industries.
The attorneys at ESG go beyond the typical attorney‑client relationship. Woven into the fabric of the ecosystems in which our clients operate, and deeply invested in their future growth, we are not simple service providers; we are engaged citizens of these communities. We create legal solutions to a constantly evolving set of challenges in these novel industries. We also serve as outside general counsel for many of our clients, managing their overarching legal needs and coordinating directly with other law firms to achieve a unified goal. The longstanding relationships we’ve established with so many of our clients are a testament to the immense value we bring.
Even though our expertise has grown far beyond esports, ESG Law remains at the forefront of the esports industry, helping establish new norms and balancing power dynamics to support more sustainable growth. Representative Matters include:
Reviewing, analyzing, and negotiating the charter and operational documents for the first-ever franchised esports leagues on behalf of roughly half of the admitted teams (Overwatch League, League of Legends Championship Series, League of Legends European Championship, & Call of Duty League), as well as other industry-leading competitions (Esports Championship Series, Clash Royale League, & Rainbow Six Pro League);
Negotiating groundbreaking talent agreements on behalf of 10 of the inaugural 11 members of the OWL on-air broadcast team;
Creating the industry-standard player contract from scratch, which is more balanced and comprehensive than ever before;
Handling industry-leading endorsement deals, including a facility naming rights deal of unprecedented size and scope;
Representing multiple traditional sports teams in their acquisition of esports organizations, player rosters, and permanent slots in top esports leagues, including the Golden State Warriors, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (Los Angeles Rams, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, and Arsenal), Minnesota Vikings, and the Philadelphia 76ers;
Preparing and filing visa petitions for esports players, on-air talent, coaches, and other esports staff, including helping to secure the first ever EB-1A visa (Green Card) for an active player in the industry's history.