This semester, Maryland Carey Law’s Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law Association (EASL) transformed classroom curiosity into real-world insight by hosting candid conversations with two leaders at the intersection of entertainment, sports, and the law: Angel Oritz, chief compliance officer and deputy general counsel at TAIT, a global leader in live entertainment, and Michael Buchwald ‘08, vice president and legal counsel at the NFL.
On October 15, students joined a virtual Q&A with Angel Ortiz, who offered an inside look at life as an in-house attorney in the entertainment world. Ortiz walked students through the day-to-day variety of his work—ranging from intellectual property and employment matters to contracts and creative business solutions.
In-house counsel in the entertainment industry must be “as creative as the clients” they serve, Ortiz shared. He emphasized that law school teaches you how to think like a lawyer, but practice teaches you to listen like one. “The better listener you are, the more clients will come to you,” he advised, emphasizing that good legal practice is rooted as much in empathy and understanding as in technical skill. Students left the session energized by Ortiz’s insights and his approachable, candid advice.
On November 5, EASL hosted another standout event featuring Buchwald, ’08, a proud Maryland Carey alum. Buchwald shared his journey from growing up in New York to earning his law degree in Baltimore and eventually finding his way back to New York as a summer associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. He spoke about his unexpected path into sports law, starting with NBA clients before joining the NFL as a secondee—a temporary in-house role that quickly became permanent.
“I started out thinking it would be a six-month assignment,” he recalled, “and suddenly I was managing multiple active litigations and working directly with Skadden partners who were reporting to me as the NFL’s contact.” Buchwald discussed the unique challenges of sports law, from antitrust issues to trademark and data privacy matters, and emphasized that success in any legal role rests on trust and credibility. His reflections on transitioning from a law firm to in-house work gave students valuable perspective on the versatility of a Maryland Carey Law degree.
From the entertainment stage to the football field, EASL continues to bring students closer to leaders shaping the industry, and closer to the careers they aspire to build.