Steven H. Gans

Partner & Co-Chair, Sports & Entertainment

  Boston   O 617-456-8014 F 617-456-8100 [email protected]

Practice Areas

Industries

Steve focuses his practice in the areas of corporate, sports, employment and non-profit law. Having practiced both in private firm settings and in-house and having served as an executive on the business side of operating companies, he advises organizations on all stages of their development: from inception to all aspects of their operations including corporate and employment matters, strategic partnerships, acquisitions, and merger and sale transactions.

Business/Corporate Law:

Steve represents individuals, corporations, other businesses, universities, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit organizations in a variety of matters, including corporate governance, mergers, sale and acquisition transactions (including, in the non-profit sector, sales of assets through the Attorney General process), employment matters, all other operational issues, and the conducting of investigations at the organization’s request.  He also assists clients with the negotiation of a variety of agreements in the contracting process, including strategic partnership agreements, revenue sharing agreements, master service agreements, website services agreements, employment agreements, sponsorship agreements, consulting agreements, and publishing and endorsement contracts.

He has led and advised on several mergers and acquisitions initiatives and has negotiated complex internet commerce and other strategic partnership revenue sharing agreements.  Having formerly helped lead a series of venerable family-owned closely-held companies, Steve also advises on all aspects affecting family businesses.

Steve is also commonly called on by companies and executives to represent them in the negotiation of employment agreements, and in severance/departure negotiations.

Since 2002, Steve has been recognized as AV Preeminent for both legal ability and ethics by the Martindale-Hubbell law directory,  he is recognized by Best Lawyers in America in the fields of Employment Law, Management and Sports Law, he has been selected as a Massachusetts Super Lawyer in the field of Business/Corporate Law, and he has been selected to the Boston Magazine Top Lawyers list in the field of Sports Law.

Sports Law/Soccer Law:

Steve has unmatched vast experience in American soccer.  As the only American who has been a player, pro soccer front office executive, advisor/consultant to players, coaches (on the one hand), clubs, management and owners (on the other hand), and an attorney representing players, coaches (on the one hand), clubs, management, executives, owners, and colleges (on the other hand) – from youth club soccer, to college, to the pros to World Cup – he has unique experience and perspective. Steve was named one of Soccer America magazine’s Top Personalities of 2017, and he is commonly called upon by leading media to comment on issues within soccer/football, including by the New York Times, the Sports Business Journal, the Washington Post, ESPN, The Athletic, Soccer America, the Boston Globe, Sports Illustrated, the BBC, German DW Television, the London Evening Standard and The Sunday Times.

As Chair of Prince Lobel’s Sports Law/Soccer Law Practice Group, Steve represents professional and youth soccer clubs, leagues and sanctioning and other organizations, and players and coaches in the sport in a variety of matters, including employment issues, financing and merger and acquisition matters, corporate governance, dispute resolution, and the drafting and negotiation of a variety of agreements, including employment contracts, stadium  agreements, strategic partnership agreements, sponsorship agreements, equipment supplier contracts, leases, and operational and revenue sharing agreements.  Steve has also conducted several investigations in the soccer/football world, at the request of universities, leagues and clubs.

Steve is also often asked to consult in a non-legal capacity throughout soccer through the Prince Lobel Soccer Law practice group, and has advised owners, senior management, and officials of British football clubs regarding commercial transactions, their own operations, and the American market.  He also assists North American pro soccer clubs and youth clubs with their operations and commercial transactions and advises American corporations on how to become aligned within international and American soccer.

Non-Profit Law:

Steve represents animal welfare, dog rescue, autism support, media and sports organizations on a variety of matters which are core to their existence.

Boston magazine Top Lawyers™ 2023

Education

  • Harvard Law School; University of Pennsylvania Law School, J.D., 1989
  • Cornell University; Brandeis University, B.A., 1982

Bar Admissions

  • Massachusetts

Memberships & Affiliations

  • New England Corporate Counsel Association, Past President, Board of Directors
  • Football Club Boston, Inc. (U.S. Soccer Development Academy Club), Former Board of Directors and General Counsel

News & Events

Firm News

Thirteen Prince Lobel Attorneys Named to the 2024 Boston Magazine Top Lawyers™ List

November 20, 2024

Thirteen Prince Lobel attorneys across eight practice areas have been selected to the 2024 Boston magazine Top Lawyers™ list.…

Firm News

Prince Lobel Attorneys Named to the 2024 Massachusetts Super Lawyers List & Massachusetts Rising Stars List

September 27, 2024

Prince Lobel is proud to share that twenty-one firm attorneys have been selected to the…

Firm News

Prince Lobel Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers® in 2025

August 15, 2024

Prince Lobel, one of the leading law firms in Massachusetts, is proud to announce that…

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