DeMaurice Smith, Former National Football League Players Association Executive Director, Speaks at Pepperdine Caruso Law

DeMaurice Smith, former executive director of the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), returned to Pepperdine Caruso School of Law for an engaging, candid discussion with sports law and ethics students. Drawing on his tenure as the NFLPA’s chief negotiator, his service as an assistant US attorney, and his private-practice experience, Smith offered a rare behind-the-scenes look at the intersection of sports, labor, and law.

He spotlighted key lessons from his book Turf Wars: The Fight for the Soul of America’s Game, which chronicles his 14 years on the frontlines advocating for thousands of NFL players. Smith delved into the collective bargaining process and the high-stakes dynamics of labor relations in professional sports. The conversation was moderated by Sports Lawyers Association board member and Los Angeles sports attorney Brandon Leopoldus. Six students whose questions stood out received autographed copies of Turf Wars.

A longtime friend of Caruso Law, Smith has served as a visiting professor teaching the course “Law, Leadership, and Ethics.” He was welcomed back warmly by his former students along with Professor Weston’s class, BALSA, the Sports & Entertainment Law Society, and the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution.