A Preeminent Sports-Centered Law Firm

Howard L. Jacobs

Howard Jacobs has been identified by leading national and international publications as one of the leading sports lawyers in the world. He is an athlete’s lawyer and not a sports agent. He represents athletes in all types of disputes, with a particular focus on the defense of athletes charged with doping and other disciplinary offenses. He has represented over 300 professional athletes, Olympic athletes and amateur athletes in disputes involving doping, salary issues, team selection issues, SafeSport issues, endorsements, unauthorized use of name and likeness, and other matters. Howard Jacobs has been consistently listed by the Chambers Guide as one of the top ranked lawyers in the United States for athletic disputes. In addition to his law practice, Howard Jacobs is an Adjunct Professor at Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles, where he teaches sports law.

Howard has spent decades fighting for athletes and coaches in all types of disputes; he has handled numerous landmark cases making him the go-to lawyer for athletes around the world.

Howard graduated from Florida State University and William and Mary Law School. He ran cross country and track & field for Florida State University and competed as a professional triathlete during law school. He currently resides in Southern California with his wife and a garage full of bicycles.

For more information, read this September 19, 2006, USA Today profile.

Katy Freeman

Katy first joined the Law Offices of Howard L. Jacobs as an intern during the summer of 2014, re-joined as an Associate in May 2019, and became a Senior Associate in 2024.

Before earning her law degree, Katy spent many years competing at the highest levels of intercollegiate and Olympic swimming. Her experiences as a member of USA Swimming’s National Team and first-hand knowledge of the issues elite athletes face served as her introduction to the realm of sports law and, ultimately, led her to attend law school. During law school, she also interned for the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s Athlete Ombuds Office. Katy has a superior understanding of sporting rules and the legal issues faced by athletes, both from her time as an elite athlete and her many years as a sports lawyer.

Katy is a California girl through and through, having grown up in Northern California. She is a graduate of the University of California Santa Barbara (B.A., 2009) and the University of Southern California Gould School of Law (J.D., 2016), with a Certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution. Despite strong Trojan ties, Katy remains a true, blue-and-gold bleeding Gaucho at heart. She is admitted to practice law in California.

Katy and her husband currently reside in the Los Angeles area with their dog Libby. Katy spends her free time reading, cooking and watching the Dodgers.

Leah M. Bernhard

Leah joined the Law Offices of Howard L. Jacobs in 2023, where she is Of Counsel. Leah grew up as a competitive athlete; she was a high school swimmer, Division 1 collegiate rower, and amateur triathlete. Her athletic background helps her to understand the complex and stressful situations that athletes frequently face.

Prior to joining the Law Offices of Howard L. Jacobs, Leah worked in civil litigation representing both plaintiffs and defendants, as well as amateur sports law organizations. She prides herself in keeping in close communication with her clients at all stages of the process and knows how to be a fierce advocate while working to obtain favorable outcomes.

Leah graduated from Marquette Law School, cum laude. During law school, she interned at the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee during the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games, where she assisted with the anti-ambush campaign and with Section 9 and 10 claims. She was a member of the Marquette Sports Law Review and received a certificate in sports law from the National Sports Law Institute. She has authored and co-authored several briefs for the Wisconsin Court of Appeals and the Wisconsin Supreme Court and practiced in both federal and state courts. She has been selected as a Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2019-2022.

Leah is admitted to the bar in Wisconsin where she resides with her husband and sons. She enjoys cheering for Wisconsin sports teams including the Bucks, Brewers, and Packers. She stays active with swimming and hiking, and enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time outdoors with her family.

Roland Wiley

Roland joined Law Offices of Howard L. Jacobs in the fall of 2023. Prior to joining the Law Offices of Howard L. Jacobs, Roland worked in civil litigation, supporting families and individuals alleging wrongful conviction, wrongful death, and government misconduct. Roland also had the opportunity to serve as a law clerk for a Los Angeles law firm as well as the Immigrant Legal Resource Center in San Francisco, acquiring experience in corporate immigration law, asylum support, and deportation relief. The highlights of Roland’s legal experience have centered around cultivating his clients’ trust through transparent and consistent communication.