Eric Hagen (JD '97) Makes Waves at Austin FC

Pepperdine Caruso Law alumnus Eric Hagen (JD '97), chief legal officer at Major League Soccer team Austin FC, left his successful career in California for a new opportunity in Texas before the COVID-19 pandemic caused the mass exodus from the Golden State to the Lone Star State. Hagen had been a partner at DLA Piper, McDermott Will & Emery, and Kirkland & Ellis in Los Angeles prior to his move to Austin FC. Austin FC joined MLS as the 27th club in 2019 and will officially begin play in a new, state-of-the-art soccer stadium in a few short days.

Hagen was recently interviewed for a Profile magazine article and said this about his life-altering career change: "It was a job I couldn't say no to. The chance to launch a professional sports team rarely comes along. I was all in." Eric had worked with Austin FC in the years leading up to his move, and he moved to DLA Piper's Austin office so he could be closer to his client.

During his time at Austin FC, Hagen has hired three Pepperdine Caruso Law externs. His third extern, Caruso Law student Brandon Posivak, just began his summer position on June 1, 2021 in Austin, Texas. It is critical that alumni like Hagen invest in the next generation of law students through externships.

Eric said, "I made so many lifelong friendships during my time in Malibu and have felt an obligation to stay involved with and give back to the school. I do what I can to hire and mentor Pepperdine students, and I encourage those students to do the same when they're eventually in a position to help others."

A "double" alumnus, Hagen graduated magna cum laude from Pepperdine Caruso School of Law in 1997 and received his B.A. in Biology from Seaver College in 1992. During his time at the law school, he was the Note & Comment Editor for the Law Review. Prior to law school, Hagen received an interdisciplinary master's degree (environmental chemistry and public policy) from Dartmouth College in 1994.

During his time at Seaver College, Eric fortuitously met then-student Anthony Precourt (BA '93) when both played on the lacrosse team and were brothers in the Sigma Epsilon fraternity. Both attended graduate school at Dartmouth and kept in touch over the years. Precourt is now the CEO and majority owner at Austin FC. No doubt, both Waves will be together again cheering on their new team for the home opener in Austin on June 19, 2021.

The complete article on Eric Hagen may be read in Profile magazine.