CHARLOTTE, NC – Lauri Eberhart, formerly the General Counsel and VP Communications of Speedway Motorsports (NYSE: TRK) and Executive Vice President of Charlotte Motor Speedway has joined the practice of entertainment attorney Melinda Morris Zanoni to create Apollo Sports & Entertainment Law Group. Apollo Law Group will be unique to the extended region as one of very few law practices focusing on sports and entertainment law.
While at Speedway Motorsports and Charlotte Motor Speedway, Lauri participated in capital raising and acquisitions valued in excess of $5 billion. Lauri has also held the positions of VP Marketing of Richmond International Raceway and Director of Sales for NASCAR Hall of Fame. In 2007, she was awarded the Charlotte Businesswoman of the Year Award and in 2004 the Business North Carolina Legal Elite Award. Lauri is a Board Member of the NC Motorsports Association and the NC Motorsports Foundation. She speaks on topics such as “Sponsorship Agreements in NASCAR,” is a frequent guest host on WBT`AM 1110 The Keith Larson Show, and is a legal columnist for National Speed Sport News. She received her law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law where she cofounded the Sports and Entertainment Law Association. Lauri represents a variety of sports clients including racecar drivers, sports properties and facilities, and media personalities.
Melinda Morris Zanoni’s primary areas of practice are entertainment and sports law with an emphasis on advising and managing the business and legal affairs of celebrities, athletes, musicians, authors, actors, artists, screenwriters, television shows, and entertainment companies. She has led transactions for celebrity endorsements, licensing deals, publishing and recording deals, talent agreements, and Fortune 500 sponsorships, as well as serving as production counsel for feature length films and television shows.
Melinda is a member of the NCBA Sports & Entertainment Council and is the Adjunct Professor of Entertainment Law at Charlotte School of Law. Melinda is a sought after speaker on the topics of “Sports and Entertainment Law” and “Film Finance.” Prior to founding Apollo Law Group, Melinda was an attorney with Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP and Fagel & Haber (Chicago, IL). Her clients include some of the area’s highest profile athletes and celebrities and hit television shows.
“Lauri will be a great addition to our law group. Her tremendous experience and existing relationships will bring added depth to our sports practice,” says Melinda. “Charlotte is a sports town and also has a growing entertainment scene. Our goal is to become the region’s premiere sports and entertainment law firm by combining our experience in the complex and rapidly shifting areas of sports and entertainment.” Lauri adds, “With our unique approach to business, our goal is to provide expedient, cost`effective, relationship`driven legal and business advice to our clients.
By joining Melinda and leveraging our combined areas of concentration we will be geared toward handling the very specific needs of sports and entertainment clients.”
About Apollo Sports & Entertainment Law Group:
Apollo Sports & Entertainment Law Group is one of very few firms in the extended region with a sports and entertainment law emphasis. The firm represents celebrities, athletes, musicians, authors, actors, comedians, race teams, sports facilities, and television and film companies. Transactions include but are not limited to: endorsement agreements, licensing deals, artist recording agreements, publishing deals, production and distribution agreements, publicity agreements, employment agreements, talent agreements, and sponsorships.
For more information call 704`334`7741, email info@apollogrouplaw .com, or visit www.apollogrouplaw.com.