Carla Varriale is a litigator who has represented Major League Baseball teams and players, minor league teams and clients in the recreation and sports industries. Carla writes and lectures on various issues of interest to sports, recreation and entertainment venues, including water parks and amusement parks. She has appeared as a legal commentator on Court TV Radio and FoxNews’ Cases and Cops.
Carla counsels entities with self-insured retentions regarding methods to minimize exposure and to develop successful risk management and litigation strategies, particularly those related to promotional activities and security issues.
She received her undergraduate degree from Boston University and her Juris Doctor from New York Law School. At New York Law School, Carla was a member of the Moot Court Executive Board and the Order of the Barristers. Carla is a member of the faculty at Columbia University's School of Professional Studies (“SPS”), Sports Management Program, where she teaches a “Sports Law and Ethics” class.
In 2014, she created SPS’s “The MMA Project.” The MMA Project is a unique class that focuses on the legal issues facing the sport of Mixed Martial Arts, as well as safety, regulatory and fighter conduct issues.
Carla, who is a member of the Sports Lawyers Association and the International Amusement & Leisure Defense Association, is admitted to practice in New York and Connecticut, and before United States District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of New York and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second and Third Circuits.
As part of the firm’s sports practice group, Carla provides advice and representation to athletes, including with respect to Safe Sport issues.
Whether in the sports, recreation, educational, religious, camp or other context, Carla has noteworthy experience defending sexual abuse and molestation (SAM) cases in state and federal courts.
Publications
- More Than a Mentor: Learn How to Sponsor Your Colleagues, American Bar Association, The Woman Advocate, Practice Points, (2019)
- A More Perfect Union: MMA Athletes and Unionization, Michigan State International Law Review (2019)
- #UsToo: Be Part of the Legal Profession’s Positive Response to #MeToo, American Bar Association, Woman Advocate Newsletter (March 5, 2019)
- Law and Teaching, American Bar Association, Woman Advocate Newsletter (June 2018)
- The “Next Battle” Against Ticket Resellers: New York Yankees Strike Out In Ticketing Case, Sports Litigation Alert (May 2018)
- What's Love Got To Do With It?: Copyright Laws and "Revenge Porn” Entertainment & Sports Lawyer (Spring 2018).
- New York Appeals Court Affirms Assumption of Risk Case, Involving Playing Surfaces
Sports Facilities and the Law, September-October 2017 and Sports Litigation Alert, August 18, 2017
- Kansas City Chiefs Sued Over Wrongful Death of Fan
Sports Litigation Alert, August 19, 2016
- MMA Ban Remains in N.Y., Despite Risks to Amateurs
Athletic Business, July 2015
- Mixed Martial Arts: A Fighting Chance in New York
NYSBA Entertainment Arts and Sports Law Journal Fall/Winter 2014/Vol. 25 No. 3
- The Fight Between MMA and New York State Is Far From Over
Sports Litigation Alert (2014)
- MMA Gets Off the Mat as New York State Senate Approves Bill Allowing Contests
Sports Litigation Alert (2013)
- Court Dismisses Spectator’s Lawsuit Regarding the Supposed Enhanced Dangers Presented by Maple Bats
Sports Litigation Alert (2011)
- New York: A Second Look at MMA? Promoters and Fans Hope So
Sports Litigation Alert (2011)
- Can Patrons Be Forced to Stand for "God Bless America?"
Facility Manager (2010)
- Settlement in “Enforced Patriotism” Case Commenced by New Jersey Teens Against The Newark Bears
Sports Litigation Alert (2009)
- Court Holds That High School Cheerleading Is A Contact Sport — Providing Immunity For Teammate And School District
Sports Litigation Alert (2009)
- A Match Made in Court
Billboard (February, 2009)
- Author, Introduction to Chapter 12, Legal/Risk Management, Sport Facility Management (Second Edition, Gil Fried, Esq., 2009)
- Professional Baseball Team Snags Victory in Personal Injury Action
Sports Litigation Alert (2008)
- New Jersey’s Highest Court Applies Limited Duty of Care in Hockey Spectator Injury Case
Sports Litigation Alert (2008)
- That’s the Ticket . . .What’s Next for the Ticketing Industry After Ticketmaster v. RMG Techs., Inc.
ABA Entertainment and Sports Lawyer (2008)
- The Covenant of Security: Don't 'Pass the Ball', It's an Opportunity for Owners and Operators of Sports Arenas
Sports Litigation Alert (2006)
- New Jersey Supreme Court Crafts Hybrid Rule for Injured Patrons at Baseball Stadiums
Sports Litigation Alert (2006)
- Don’t “Assume” Anything: Avoiding and Defending Negligence Actions When Spectators Harm Spectators
Stadium Manager (2006)
- Liability In Spectator Injury Cases: The Risk Has Changed, Will The Law
Amusement Business (2006)
Presentations and Media Appearances
- Interrupting Racial & Gender Bias in the Legal Profession, Professional Liability Defense Federation (September 2019)
- Sexual Abuse and Bullying In Sport: Balancing The Rights Of Accused And Accusers, American Bar Association Sports Law Committee (March 2019)
- Gender Issues in Sports Law, New York Law School's Sports Law Symposium (March 2018)
- 4 Premises Liability Cases to Know
360Law (February 2018)
- Gender Issues in Sports Law, New York Law School's Sports Law Symposium (March 2018)
- Protecting MMA Fighters: A More Perfect Union, International Law Review Symposium, Michigan State College of Law (February 2018)
- Conflicts of Interest in Sports: Fiedling Ethical Curveballs, Lecture for Columbia University Talks at Columbia series (November 2017)
- Current Cases of Interest, Lecture for National Student Leadership Conference summer program, (July 2017)
- Panelist, New York Law School Sports Law Symposium (March 2017)
- Panelist, Women in Sports Law Career Panel (March 2017)
- No Holds Barred With Eddie Goldman
(August 2016)
- The CUSP Show (Episode 25) Columbia University Sports Management Program.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thecuspshow
(July 2016)
- New Ticket Restrictions Could Be Risky For Teams
- Defining Litigation Strategies and Minimizing Public Relations Challenges for High Profile Accident Cases Involving Catastrophic Accidents
(American Conference Institute’s Forum on Recreation, Leisure, and Amusement Park Compliance and Litigation
February 2015)
- Mock Trial at the National Sports Safety and Security Conference and Exhibition (Orlando, FL, July 2015)
- Trauma Unit: Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injuries and U.S. Sports Law
(St. John's University School of Law Guest Lecture, October 2014)
- Balancing Legal Ethics in a Non-Stop Media World
(2014 Texas Review of Entertainment and Sports Law symposium
September 2014)
- Power in Mentoring event
(Young Risk Practitioners Advisory Committee of the New York Chapter of the Risk and Insurance Management Society, May 2014)
- If You Build It, They Will Come
(Entertainment Arts & Sports Law Section of the New York State Bar Association, panel discussion, September 2013)
- Blood, Sweat and ... Broken Bones: Litigating Sports Injuries
(American Bar Association Webinar and Teleconference, April 2013)
- Protect the Pocket: Risk Management and Insurance Issues in the Sports and Entertainment Industries
(ABA Section of Litigation, Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee 25th Annual CLE Seminar, March 2013)
- Rising Spectator Injuries and Deaths Raise Safety Concerns
(National Sports Safety and Security Conference and Exhibition, August 2012)
- The Long-Term Tort Implications of Professional Sports
(Texas Review of Entertainment and Sports Law Symposium, September 2012)
- Bats, Balls and Rock 'n Roll: Liability basics for the sports, recreation, live entertainment and hospitality industries
(North American Contingency Association Annual Conference, May 2012)
- Hot Dog Toss: Liability & Risk Management in the Stadium Trenches
(Orange County Bar Association, August 2011)
- Sports Can Kill - Can Litigators Win
(Online Course via LawLine.com)
- Sports Litigation Alert
(Stadium Managers Association Conference February, 2011)
- Trends in the Ticket Resale Market
(Ticket Summit, January 2011)
- Crisis Management in Sports in an Era of Instant Feedback
(Brooklyn Law School's Brooklyn Entertainment and Sports Law Society, November 2010)
- Current Events: Legal Cases and Situations
(IAAM International Crowd Management Conference, November 2010)
- Ticketing: Managing the Keys to the Kingdom
(Billboard's Touring Conference and Awards, November 2010)
- 99 Bottles of Beer in the Law: Legal Issues Related to Alcohol Management
- Lawline (2010)
- Is It Fair or Foul?
- Lawline (2009)
- Year in Review
- FoxNews’ Cops and Cases (2009)
- Do you have to stand for “America the Beautiful?” and can you sue the team if you are hit by a baseball?
(Bulldog and The Rude Awakening Show, WOCM-FM 98.1, November 2009)
- Where Does Your Liability Start?
(IAAM International Crowd Management Conference, November 2009)
- Risk Management in Sports: Business Interruption, Event Cancellation, and the SAFETY Act
(The ABA Forum on the Entertainment and Sports, October 2009)
- Legal Issues Panel Discussion
(IAAM Annual Conference and Tradeshow, July 2009)
- Current Issues In Sports Law
(University of New Haven, March 2009)
- Two Tickets to Paradise
(Billboard Touring Magazine Conference Awards, November 2008)
- Protecting Your Campers, Protecting Your Camp
(Tri-State Camp Conference, March 2008)
- Venues and Premises Liability
(2008 Stadium Managers Association, February 2008)
- International Sports Law
(London, England, December 2007)
- Avoiding Liability as an Owner/Operator of a Sports or Recreation Facility
(Athletic Business Conference & Expo, November 2007)
- Craig Kelly Sport & Entertainment Law Symposium
(University of South Carolina, November 2007)
- Spectator Liability Issues; Using an Expert Witness
(International Conference on Sport and Entertainment Business (ICSEB), November 2007)
- International Association of Assembly Managers, July 2007
- Protecting the Crowd, Protecting the Venue:The
Tinderbox of Stadium Liability
(Stadium Managers Association Annual Seminar, February 2007)
- Craig Kelly Sport & Entertainment Law Symposium
(University of South Carolina, November 2006)
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