Nathaniel Grow

Nathaniel Grow is an Associate Professor of Business Law and Ethics. He previously served as an Associate Professor of Legal Studies (with tenure) at the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business. He was also a cum laude graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, where he served as a contributing editor to the Michigan Law Review.

Nathaniel's research interests include both the application of federal antitrust and labor law to the professional sports industry, along with the field of U.S. intellectual property law. The author of 19 law review articles, as well as an award-winning book, his academic work has garnered a number of prestigious research honors, including the David J. Langum, Sr. Prize in American Legal History, as well as the Distinguished Junior Faculty Award from the Academy of Legal Studies in Business. A nationally recognized expert expert in the field of sports law, Nathaniel's research has been featured by media outlets such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, ESPN, and Sports Illustrated. Prior to entering academia, he previously practiced law in the Washington, D.C. office of the firm of Crowell & Moring LLP, where he specialized in intellectual property and antitrust litigation.

Areas of Expertise

Antitrust law, intellectual property law, labor issues in the professional sports industry, patent law, sports law.

Academic Degrees

• J.D., University of Michigan Law School, 2005
• B.S., Ohio University, 2002

Professional Experience

• Associate Professor of Legal Studies, Terry College of Business, University of Georgia, 2015-2017
• Assistant Professor of Legal Studies, Terry College of Business, University of Georgia, 2009-2015
• Associate Attorney, Crowell & Moring LLP, Washington, D.C., 2005-2009

Awards, Honors & Certificates

• Holmes-Cardozo Award for Distinguished Submitted Conference Paper, Academy of Legal Studies in Business, 2020
• Jackson Lewis Outstanding Employment Law Paper Award, Academy of Legal Studies in Business, 2020
• Outstanding Reviewer Award, American Business Law Journal, 2020
• Trustees Teaching Award, Indiana University, 2019
• SABR Baseball Research Award, Society for American Baseball Research, 2019
• SEALSB Best Proceedings Paper Award, Southeastern Academy of Legal Studies in Business, 2018
• Finalist, Trustees Teaching Award, Indiana University, 2018
• Co-recipient, Larry Ritter Book Award, Society for American Baseball Research, 2015
• Recipient, Outstanding Teaching Award, University of Georgia, 2015
• Recipient, David J. Langum, Sr. Prize in American Legal History, The Langum Charitable Trust, 2014
• Recipient, Distinguished Junior Faculty Award, Academy of Legal Studies in Business, 2014
• Recipient, Junior Scholar Award, Southeastern Academy of Legal Studies in Business, 2012
• Recipient, Holmes-Cardozo Award for Outstanding Submitted Conference Paper, Academy of Legal Studies in Business, 2011
• Recipient, Outstanding Teaching Award, University of Georgia, 2011
• Recipient, Best Proceedings Paper, Southeastern Academy of Legal Studies in Business, 2010

Selected Publications

• Grow, N. Free Agency for the Front Office: How Data Analytics and Non-Compete Agreements Threaten to Disrupt Competitive Balance in U.S. Professional Sports Leagues. 58 American Business Law Journal 121 (2021).
• Grow, N., and Haugh, T. Assessing the NCAA as a Compliance Organization. 2021 Wisconsin Law Review 787 (2021).
• Grow, N., and Shackelford, S. J. The Sport of Cybersecurity: How Professional Sports Leagues Can Better Protect the Competitive Integrity of Their Games. 61 Boston College Law Review 473 (2020).
• Grow, N. The Save America’s Pastime Act: Special-Interest Legislation Epitomized. 90 U. of Colorado Law Review 1013 (2019).
• Grow, N. (2018). The Enduring Power of the Sports Broadcasting Act. The Oxford Handbook of American Sports Law. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
• Grow, N., and Flagel, Z. The Faulty Law and Economics of the 'Baseball Rule,' 60 William & Mary Law Review 59 (2018).
• Grow, L., and Grow, N. Protecting Big Data in the Big Leagues: Trade Secrets in Professional Sports. 74 Washington & Lee Law Review 1567 (2017).
• Flagel, Z., and Grow, N. Getting in the Game: The Demographics of Professional Sports Team In-House Legal Counsel. 7 Mississippi Sports Law Review 23 (2017).
• Grow, N. Resolving the Divided Patent Infringement Dilemma. 50 Michigan Journal of Law Reform 1 (2016).
• Grow, N. The Curiously Confounding Curt Flood Act. 90 Tulane Law Review 859 (2016).
• Grow, N. Regulating Professional Sports Leagues. 72 Washington & Lee Law Review 573 (2015).
• Alexander, C., and Grow, N. Gaming the System: The Exemption of Professional Sports Teams From the Fair Labor Standards Act. 49 U.C. Davis Law Review 123 (2015).
• Grow, N. (2014). Baseball on Trial: The Origin of Baseball's Antitrust Exemption, Champaign, IL: University of Illinois Press.
• Grow, N. Joint Patent Infringement Following Akamai. 51 American Business Law Journal 71 (2014).
• Grow, N. Insolvent Professional Sports Teams: A Historical Case Study. 18 Lewis & Clark Law Review 345 (2014). (Symposium issue)
• Grow, N. Decertifying Players' Unions: Lessons From the NFL and NBA Lockouts of 2011. 15 Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law 473 (2013).
• Grow, N. In Defense of Baseball's Antitrust Exemption. 49 American Business Law Journal 211 (2012).
• Grow, N. American Needle and the Future of the Single Entity Defense Under Section One of the Sherman Act. 48 American Business Law Journal 449 (2011).
• Grow, N. Antitrust & The Bowl Championship Series. 2 Harvard Journal of Sports & Entertainment Law 53 (2011).
• Grow, N. Louisville v. Duke and Its Implications for Breached College Football Scheduling Agreements. 37 Journal of College & University Law 239 (2011).
• Grow, N. Defining the 'Business of Baseball': A Proposed Framework for Determining the Scope of Professional Baseball's Antitrust Exemption. 44 U.C. Davis Law Review 557 (2010).
• Grow, N. Reevaluating the Curt Flood Act of 1998. 87 Nebraska Law Review 747 (2009).
• Grow, N. A Proper Analysis of the National Football League Under Section One of the Sherman Act. 9 Texas Review of Entertainment & Sports Law 281 (2008).
• Grow, N. Note: There's No 'I' in 'League': Professional Sports Leagues and the Single Entity Defense. 105 Michigan Law Review 183 (2006).