ASU Law’s MSLB program launches internship opportunity with Phoenix Suns and Mercury

The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University is pleased to announce a new internship opportunity between the Allan “Bud” Selig Sports Law and Business (SLB) and Player 15 Group, the parent brand for the Phoenix Suns and Mercury. The internship offers students in the SLB-JD concurrent program hands-on work and mentorship opportunities with the Phoenix Suns and Mercury legal team.

Aaron Hernandez, assistant dean and executive director of the Master of Sports Law and Business Program at ASU Law, says this internship opportunity reflects the commitment to develop the next generation of sports law professionals and exemplifies ASU Law’s dedication to experiential learning and student success.

“The SLB program is so proud of our partnership with the Player 15 Group,” Hernandez said. “SLB law students will have access to one of the top sports legal opportunities in the Valley, and Player 15 will have access to the best pool of sports legal talent in the Valley. It is a win-win situation.”

Leading the way as the first-ever intern selected for this opportunity is Jordan Baum, a second-year JD and concurrent MSLB student at ASU Law.

“He is the ideal candidate for this position and will represent the SLB Program with class,” said Hernandez. “This opportunity is a springboard for Jordan in sports law, and I am really proud of him.”

This opportunity has provided Baum with a behind-the-scenes view of how legal strategy supports a sports organization's operations. Gaining hands-on experience across a wide range of legal and business matters, he assists with contract review and drafting and compliance matters, all while collaborating with different departments throughout the organization.

Baum, originally from Deerfield, Illinois, brings a unique background to the role. As a college basketball student-athlete who earned his undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Chicago, Baum decided to pursue a career in law and sports after three years of working in the financial industry. This decision was personal, a result of Baum’s grandfather co-founding a labor law firm in Chicago that represented the National Football League (NFL) Players Association in its first collective bargaining agreement with the NFL. Baum’s mother also went to law school, citing it as a valuable education that has helped her in every job she’s ever had.

With these two influences in his life, it was inevitable for Baum to pursue the intersection of law and sports — and the SLB program at ASU Law was the perfect place for Baum to do that.

“The SLB faculty members all have practical experience in the areas that they teach, and all of the classes are applicable to things that a lawyer sees in day-to-day practice,” Baum said. “After hearing current students discuss the benefits of the SLB curriculum, the familial nature of the program and the ability to expand my education beyond the traditional JD experience, applying to the SLB program during my 1L year became a no-brainer.”

A few weeks into his internship, Baum has already felt the benefits of being in the SLB-JD concurrent program. He has seen topics from his SLB classes show up daily, allowing him to hit the ground running. Additionally, Baum claims that his courses at ASU Law have “provided a very strong foundation for the research and writing that is required in law practice.”

Baum’s long-term career goal is to become general counsel of a professional sports franchise, and this internship is an integral stepping stone to reaching that goal.

“This internship will provide valuable experience in understanding the inner workings of professional sports organizations, contract drafting and problem-solving,” Baum says. Through his daily interactions with every department in the organization, he feels like he has learned something new every day.

For Baum, this internship program offers hands-on experience in the sports law world and serves as a critical step in his career. For the SLB program at ASU Law, it opens the door to opportunities for students to succeed at the highest levels of the sports law industry. As Hernandez said, “it’s a win-win situation.”