Christine Brown & Partners Expands Sports Law Team With Additions of Emily Staker, Ben LaCourse
Deepens Title IX, NIL, eligibility, NCAA enforcement capabilities, along with litigation experience, as firm begins 2nd year protecting collegiate student-athletes and coaches.
FAIRFIELD, Conn. (May 14, 2026) – Christine Brown & Partners, a law firm dedicated to protecting the rights of student-athletes and college coaches, today announced the addition of attorneys Emily Staker and Ben LaCourse, further expanding the firm’s capacity to guide clients through the rapidly changing world of college athletics.
The arrival of Staker and LaCourse comes as the firm celebrates its one-year anniversary and underscores the firm’s growth and continued investment in infrastructure designed to help athletes and coaches navigate high-stakes eligibility, Title IX, NIL, and enforcement issues with clarity and confidence.
“As college sports continue to evolve, our clients are facing more opportunities and more risk than ever before,” said Christine Brown, founder of Christine Brown & Partners. “Emily and Ben add meaningful depth and breadth to our practice at exactly the right time, enhancing our ability to confront inconsistent NCAA enforcement, negotiate complex contracts, and fight for fair outcomes in eligibility and waiver matters. Their experience strengthens the infrastructure we’ve built over the past year to support student-athletes and coaches when the stakes are highest.”
Staker, an NFLPA-certified agent and litigator, joins the firm with nearly a decade of experience focused on the issues that define modern athlete representation, including challenging eligibility rulings, reviewing and negotiating high-value NIL and professional contracts, and taking on complex disputes involving leagues and governing bodies on behalf of athletes. She serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, where she holds a J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. She holds a B.A. from Gonzaga University, where she graduated summa cum laude.
“The landscape for college and professional athletes is shifting in real time, so I’m excited to help our clients protect and enhance their value, eligibility, and long-term careers,” Staker said. “Christine Brown & Partners has quickly become a go-to sports law firm for athletes and coaches who need both legal firepower and a partner who understands the human side of these decisions. I’m excited to contribute my experience in NIL, contract negotiation, and education to a team that is driving meaningful change in college athletics.”
LaCourse brings an insider’s understanding of how decisions are made within athletic departments and institutions, deepening the firm’s expertise in matters of eligibility, waiver advocacy, and NCAA policy enforcement matters. Before joining the firm, he worked in NCAA compliance at Iowa State University and the University of Oklahoma, advising coaches, administrators, and student-athletes on eligibility, amateurism, NIL, and other regulatory issues. A former Division I soccer player, he holds a J.D. from University of Tulsa College of Law, where he graduated with honors, and a B.S. in Sports Management from Oral Roberts University, where he currently serves on the Sports Management Advisory Board.
“I’ve seen firsthand how eligibility, waivers, and enforcement decisions are made, and I’m excited to use that knowledge and experience to help student-athletes and coaches navigate today’s landscape,” LaCourse said. “My goal is to translate complex rules into clear strategies and help clients move forward with confidence, especially when they’ve been told ‘it’s not worth filing’ or ‘you’re done playing.’”
The addition of Staker and LaCourse reflects Christine Brown & Partners’ commitment to building a multidisciplinary team that can meet the full spectrum of legal challenges in college sports, from Title IX investigations and NIL disputes to transfer eligibility, scholarship issues, coaching contracts, and reputational crises.
About Christine Brown & Partners
Christine Brown & Partners sits at the nexus of college athletics and the law, providing strategic, personalized legal counsel to student-athletes, coaches, and teams facing complex and consequential challenges. With over 30 years of legal experience, the firm specializes in Title IX defense, NIL disputes, transfer portal matters, athlete rights, recruitment, and scholarships. Singularly dedicated to the individuals impacted most by the changing system, Christine Brown & Partners leads with empathy and expertise, standing firmly in clients' corners through every phase of their athletic journey. For more information, visit christinebrownsportslaw.com.
