An upcoming event this Saturday offers attendees a look into cutting-edge topics in two distinct yet related areas: sports and entertainment law.

The entirely student-run conference is hosted by the aptly named Sports and Entertainment Law Students Association at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. This is their second-annual run at this topic, and it follows on the heels of a 2010 event that garnered more than 150 attendees. This year, organizers aim even higher.

The all-day conference is centered around seven panel discussions, each with three to four speakers. The topics range from big-league collective bargaining, to intellectual property, bankruptcy, drug testing and defamation. (See the flier at right for a complete description; click it to make it larger.)

Casey Johnson, a 2L, is this year’s conference director. He explained that many students had been involved to handle the multiple details of such an event: contacting speakers, organizing and brainstorming topics, and even making hotel and plane reservations.

In choosing topics, Johnson said, students looked first at the news headlines. That allowed them to select areas of focus that were timely and compelling.

Johnson said that student organizers were pleased to have Arizona Cardinals President Michael Bidwell launch the conference as their keynote speaker. Topics that Bidwell may cover include team management issues and league governance. Almost certain to be mentioned is the path that led to Arizona’s being awarded the 2015 Super Bowl. In addition, Bidwell, a former federal prosecutor, may be able to touch on a variety of the conference’s topics.

(Click here for a story about Bidwell’s speaking at the 2010 annual convention of the State Bar of Arizona.)

For more information on Saturday’s conference or to register, click here to go to the student association blog page. Or email asulaw.selsa@gmail.com.