The NFL Players Association has experienced a significant rise in legal expenses over the past year, marking a 70% increase compared to previous figures, with total payments to outside counsel exceeding $18.2 million. This spike is documented in an annual financial statement submitted to the Labor Department. A significant portion of these legal expenditures, approximately $14.3 million, was directed to the law firm Winston & Strawn. This suggests that the firm has maintained its status as the union’s primary legal advisor.
The union’s financial statement covers the period from March 1, 2024, to February 28, 2025. In the fiscal year 2023-24 alone, Winston & Strawn earned more than $8.4 million from the NFL Players Association. Jeffrey Kessler, the co-executive chairman of Winston, has been a key figure in this relationship, given his extensive background in representing prominent clients in the sports sector.
Amid these fiscal developments, the NFL Players Association has undergone some changes in its management team, including appointing a new general counsel for its trust arm. These changes come amidst an ongoing landscape of complex legal challenges and negotiations faced by professional sports unions.
Further details about this financial issue are available through Bloomberg Law.