The Berkeley Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Initiative is launching in the 2025–2026 academic year to provide legal education and limited-scope support to UC Berkeley student-athletes navigating low to mid-level Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities. Berkeley NIL Initiative will offer contract literacy tools, tailored resources, and individual support to student-athletes who are reviewing or negotiating their own NIL contracts, particularly those in non-revenue sports who lack access to legal support.
Berkeley Law students participating in Berkeley NIL Initiative will gain practical experience in contracts and sports law. Their work will include conducting intake meetings with student-athletes about NIL, providing tailored support as athletes navigate their own negotiations, developing educational materials to inform athletes of their rights, and offering general guidance to raise awareness of common challenges.
Supervision: Students engaged in Berkeley NIL will be supervised by attorneys from the Berkeley Center of Law & Technology.
Time Commitment: Approximately 5 hours a week. NIL plans on having a weekly meeting, every Wednesday at lunchtime (1-2pm). This will be a mandatory check in with an individual’s assigned student leader to ensure that intake is processing smoothly, as well as an opportunity for students to voice any concerns or questions that may arise. Furthermore, there will be office hours with our supervising attorney once every two weeks for students to have more substantive legal questions addressed.
For more information, please contact the student leaders at bnili@berkeley.edu.