Alicia Jessop “For as long as I can remember, I wanted to go to law school” Alicia Jessop (JD ’09) said.  Growing up in a very politically motivated family Alicia quickly realized that a law degree that could open many doors.  She understood that the courses involved would allow her to solve problems, a valuable skill in any career path.

Alicia was positive that she wanted to pursue a career in entertainment and sports law, ultimately earning an Entertainment Law certificate at Chapman’s Fowler School of Law.  Studying under leaders and experienced practitioners in the areas of intellectual property and entertainment law made the process enjoyable and extremely beneficial to Alicia. She said it was invaluable to learn not only case law, but how the entertainment industry itself worked from people who had established careers in these areas.

Graduating during the economic downturn proved challenging since in-house law positions in entertainment or sports industries, Alicia’s desired career path, were not available to recent graduates. Like others in her situation, she initially took a job that did not match her goals and passions. As an outlet for her passion, Alicia launched RulingSports.com, a sports law blog site that allowed her to network with sports lawyers and the sporting community in general. Within the first year of the website’s launch, she was asked to blog about sports for Forbes and the Huffington Post. In the past two years, Alicia has worked prime time events such as the Super Bowl, NBA Finals and NBA All-Star game. She has also appeared on radio and national television shows to discuss sports law and sports business issues.

Ultimately, Alicia found her dream job as a sports law professor at the University of Miami. This position allows her to work with young people and continue her sports law research. But Alicia also understands that following your dreams is hard work and requires perseverance.  She struggled for over four years in jobs that were not perfectly suited for her before landing her dream job in sports law.  “The people who achieve their dreams are the ones who don’t quit until they achieve them,” she said. Since so much of our lives are spent in the workplace, Alicia believes that it is crucial to pursue what motivates you. She also explained that the sports community is very small and those coming in approach it with kindness. This approach has allowed her to make connections as well as friendships in the industry.

Alicia Jessop NBA Finals

When she started RulingSports.com, Alicia didn’t have any contacts in sports media.  On the same day she launched the website she also launched a Twitter account and began following sports media personalities. Some of those sports radio personalities, writers and ESPN television personalities followed her back and the connections she built have helped propel her career. After gaining some recognition in the industry, she was invited to cover more sporting events, which offered even more networking opportunities.

Alicia recently added Director of Media Relations to her resume, working for a digital sports marketing company, Sportsdigita.  She plans to continue covering sports for The Huffington Post and other outlets, while also furthering research for scholarly publications.

Alicia speaks highly of the practical education she received from Chapman University Fowler School of Law.  During her time at Chapman, it was made clear to her that nothing is handed to you.  “Going into a difficult workforce with this mentality allowed me to move ahead of my peers who felt a sense of entitlement through their law degree,” she said.  Alicia has found that the networking, relationship-building skills, and practical education she learned while at Chapman have been some of the biggest factors behind her career opportunities so far.

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About Alicia
Alicia Jessop graduated cum laude from Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law in 2009.  While at Chapman’s Fowler School of Law, Alicia completed an emphasis program in Entertainment Law.  Alicia’s educational background also includes a B.S. in Economics from the Colorado School of Mines.  Alicia currently practices law in Colorado. She is licensed to practice law in California and Colorado. Read more about Alicia Jessop http://rulingsports.com/about/