Players On the Move

Looking to regroup its sports practice after some lateral losses earlier this year, Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo has brought on K&L Gates partner Steven Olenick as the new chair of its sports and entertainment practice. Olenick, who was one of the leading partners of K&L Gates’ sports practice, said he expected his clients would make the move with him to Mintz. Olenick works with organizations and individuals in the sporting world on issues related to endorsements, branding and intellectual property, disputes and “complex sports law matters,” Mintz said, adding that he also works with banks, private equity funds and family offices. The lateral hire comes shortly after Mintz lost all three of its co-chairs for the sports and entertainment practice between July and September to Holland & Knight, as well as another attorney who worked alongside the group doing labor and employment law. Olenick said he will be working with Mintz managing member Bob Bodian in building Mintz’s practice out more fully. Olenick said Mintz’s position as a “leader in middle-market private equity” was a big selling point for his move. “There is a lot of money going into the space, and there are unique opportunities for us to service our clients who are thinking about getting into the sports space or who want to invest in it,” he said in an interview. K&L Gates declined to comment on Olenick’s departure. … Casino giant Bally’s Corp. has hired its first chief legal officer, snagging Kim Barker Lee away from another major player in the industry, International Gaming Technology (IGT), to fill the position. Barker joins Providence, RI-based Bally’s with 25 years of legal and business experience, the last five at IGT, a maker of slot machines and other gambling technology, where she served as the company’s first global vice president of diversity and inclusion.