Rutgers Athletics and Rutgers Law School Partner to Provide Innovative Externship at the Forefront of NIL and College Sports Law

Rutgers Athletics and Rutgers Law School have announced a new partnership to offer a hands-on externship program designed to give law students direct experience with the legal and regulatory framework governing intercollegiate athletics.

The program will provide selected law students with the opportunity to work closely with athletics department leadership on a range of legal, compliance, and policy-related matters. Through this immersive experience, students will gain practical insight into one of the fastest-evolving areas of law, including issues related to Name, Image and Likeness (NIL), NCAA compliance, contracts, and institutional governance.

“This partnership represents the intentional collaboration between Rutgers Athletics and the university to support our students and student-athletes,” said Rutgers Director of Athletics Keli Zinn. “By connecting academic excellence with real-world application, we are preparing law students for future careers while enhancing the resources available to our student-athletes. This is a true win for everyone involved.”

Rutgers Law Dean Johanna Bond added, "This exciting new partnership will help further the Rutgers Law School (RLS) mission of expanding access to legal education, fostering academic excellence, and empowering students. This externship opportunity builds on the strong training at RLS that has produced many attorneys in sports law and professional team management."

Externs participating in the program will assist with a wide range of projects under the supervision of Chris Chung, Senior Associate Athletic Director, Revenue and Contract Management. Responsibilities will include conducting legal research on NCAA regulations, conference rules and state NIL laws, analyzing contracts and sponsorship agreements, and assisting with athletics compliance efforts and policy development.

“This externship creates a unique opportunity for law students to engage directly with the evolving legal landscape of intercollegiate athletics,” said Chung. “From contracts and policy development, students will gain meaningful, hands-on experience while contributing to the day-to-day legal operations of our department. We’re excited to mentor the next generation of attorneys while giving them meaningful, practical exposure to the intersection of law, governance and athletics.”

Students will also contribute to employment and administrative legal matters, including drafting and reviewing employment-related documents, assisting with scholarship and aid agreements, and supporting broader policy, governance, and risk management. Additional opportunities include supporting the sports medicine unit with clinical affiliation agreements and helping develop documentation protocols and operational policies aimed at mitigating institutional risk.

Through these experiences, externs will develop core legal skills in research, contract review, regulatory analysis and policy drafting, while gaining a deeper understanding of how legal considerations play a role within athletics administration and institutional operations.

"This is an excellent opportunity for Rutgers Law students – many of whom are former Division I athletes or have prior experience at professional sports organizations – to gain direct hands-on experience performing legal work they see themselves pursuing post-graduation,” said Matthew Saleh, Rutgers Law Senior Associate Dean of Enrollment Management & Financial Aid.

The externship is expected to launch in Fall 2026. Prospective candidates interested in the externship opportunity with Rutgers Athletics can contact the field placement/externship supervisors at the Newark and Camden campuses.

One of the goals of the Rutgers Law Strategic Plan is to provide exceptional student learning through a commitment to academic excellence. Our strategy is to provide professional networking and employment opportunities for all students by expanding legal externship opportunities. Click here to learn more about our Strategic Plan.