Alan Rifkin

Practice Areas

• Sports Law, Gaming, Facilities and Media Rights

• Business and Commercial Transactions

• Complex Civil and Commercial Litigation

• Administrative Law and Regulatory Compliance

Career

• Rifkin Weiner Livingston LLC (1989 – Present) – Managing Partner

• Patton Boggs (1988 – 1989) – Partner

• Counsel and Chief Legislative Officer to Maryland Governor William Donald Schaefer (1986-1988)

• Director, Governor Schaefer’s Transition Team for Legal and Legislative Affairs (1986)

• Counsel and Chief Legislative Assistant to Maryland Senate President, Melvin A. “Mickey” Steinberg (1985-1986)

Professional Memberships

American Bar Association

Maryland State Bar Association

Publications

• “Sports and the Law”, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, Adjunct professor (2018-2022)

• “Discussion of NCAA v. Alston” Faculty Webinar Series, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, panel moderator (2021)

• “Cracks in the Armor – Recent Legal Challenges to Professional and Collegiate Sports Governance Associations” at the SCG Legal annual international law conference, moderator and panel presenter (2016)

• “Convergence of Law and Arbitration” before the Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA) annual convention, panel presenter (2015)

• “Sports Law Symposium” for the Maryland Carey Law Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law Association at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, guest lecturer (2016)

• “Negotiating strategy and commercial transactions,” University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, guest lecturer (2014)

• Maryland Institute for Continuing Professional Education of Lawyers (MICPEL), sports law, guest lecturer (2007)

• State Government and Constitutional Law, Loyola University, former adjunct professor (1984/85)

Clients

• Maryland Jockey Club

• TSG Developments Investments, Inc.

• Preakness Stakes®

• Ripken Enterprises, LLC

• Tufton Professional Baseball, Inc.

• AMA Systems

• Cal Ripken Sr., Foundation

• Colonial Pipeline Company

• Joseph Smith & Sons, Inc.

• TomPaul Industries

• Mid-Atlantic Healthcare

• ThinkBig Networks LLC

• MileOne

• Caesars Entertainment, Horseshoe Casino Baltimore

• Real Time Medical Systems, Inc.

Work Highlights

• Led a negotiating team for the Maryland Jockey Club, The Stronach Group and the Preakness Stakes® for a $375 million public/private partnership for the rebuilding of Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park

• Represented Ripken Enterprises, LLC in a sports facilities deal with the Disney Corporation for the establishment of “The Ripken Experience™ at Disney World®” for the hosting of youth baseball tournaments and facilities

• Contributed as a consulting witness and expert for the Baltimore Orioles and the Mid-Atlantic Sport Network in an arbitration matter before Major League Baseball

• Represented the Maryland Jockey Club and The Stronach Group, owners of the Pimlico Race Course and the Preakness Stakes® in eminent domain litigation involving Baltimore City

• Represented Tufton Professional Baseball, Inc. in negotiations with a local municipal government concerning improvements to the City of Aberdeen’s Minor League Baseball Stadium, home of the Aberdeen Ironbirds

• Provided consultative legal services to a Canadian Olympic equestrian rider in defense of an alleged doping disqualification before the Court of Sports Arbitration

• Represented the Baltimore Orioles in negotiations with Major League Baseball concerning compensation for the Orioles in connection with the relocation of the Washington Nationals to Washington, D.C.

• Negotiated the Baltimore Orioles’ spring training facilities lease with Sarasota County, Florida

• Negotiated numerous media rights and sponsorship agreements for professional sports teams and enterprises

• Represented the widow of one of the U.S. Postal workers who died as a result of contact with the now-infamous “anthrax letters” mailed to the United States Congress

• Represented Caesars Horseshoe Casino in Constitutional challenge in Maryland

• Represented the Washington Post in notice/publication lawsuit

• Represented the Maryland cannabis industry in legal challenges

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Maryland

U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland

U.S. Supreme Court

Languages Spoken

English

Education

Awards