Ryan Fairchild, an attorney at Brooks Pierce, was recently featured in a podcast for HeroesHype, an organization that runs the amateur competitive scene for the popular video game Heroes of the Storm and manages the Open Division of the Heroes of the Storm Global Championship (HGC). Fairchild has a growing practice focused around esports.
In the podcast, Fairchild discusses his personal interest in gaming, beginning with the first SEGA Genesis system he saved up for as a child. He also addressed some of the legal challenges associated with competitive video game playing, including understanding visas when travelling to esports events, weighing in on franchising versus a club system for esports competitive scenes, and discussing the pros and cons of adopting models from traditional sports. Fairchild also advised players to understand the purpose of the various professionals who can help players protect their interests and build their brand value, including the difference between an attorney and an agent.
“Attorneys cannot go out and find you work, that is the job of the agent. If you find work, an attorney or an agent can help you negotiate your deal,” Fairchild said. “The attorney though, can help you draft contract language, can help advise you what the state of the law is and how it would apply to your contract, and sort through the legal risks and benefits that are in a contract.”
You can watch the whole video here. Fairchild will be featured in another HeroesHype podcast, scheduled for March 13, 2018.
