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Bob Wallace, Jr.

Partner

St. Louis
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In August 2024, Bob Wallace began an appointment as interim president of Explore St. Louis. During this appointment, he is on a leave of absence from Thompson Coburn.

Bob represents teams, prospective buyers of sports teams, companies interested in sports marketing, and civic and government entities facing team relocation or facility issues.

Bob has cultivated more than 30 years of experience in both the St. Louis business community and the national sports arena through his past executive and legal work for the Philadelphia Eagles and the St. Louis Football Cardinals.

He spent 16 years with the Rams, serving as the team's executive vice president and general counsel. During his 30-year career in professional football, Bob was one of the highest-ranking African-American club executives in the National Football League. He led the Rams' operations and business departments during two Super Bowl appearances, managed the team's $200 million budget and served as lead negotiator in the renaming of the Rams' stadium to the Edward Jones Dome.

In his sports law practice, Bob also assists players, coaches and executives with contract negotiations and separation agreements, and serves as an NFL-approved hearing officer for violations of the league's drug and conduct policies.

Bob has taught sports law as an adjunct professor at both Washington University School of Law and Saint Louis University School of Law. He also wrote a weekly magazine column, "Business Philosophy," and has authored several other articles on sports law topics.

Bob is co-chair of the firm's African American/Black affinity group.

Podcasts

Episode 25: Author and Professor Jeremi Duru and Diversity in Sports

Episode 24: Sports Journalist Jim Thomas and the 2023 NFL Season

Episode 23: Sports Journalist Jim Thomas, Part 2

Episode 22: Sports Journalist Jim Thomas, Part 1

Episode 21: Mori Taheripour on negotiating sports contracts

Episode 20: Debbie Spander and Marc Isenberg on NIL Deals

Episode 19: David Cornwell on LIV Golf

Episode 18: CEO of LEAD1 Association Tom McMillen

Episode 17: Part 2: Incoming Missouri Valley Conference Commissioner Jeff Jackson

Episode 16: Part 1: Missouri Valley Conference Commissioner Doug Elgin

Episode 15: Sean Frazier, Athletic Director at Northern Illinois University

Episode 14: Sports agent Leigh Steinberg

Episode 13: Kurt Hunzeker on the XFL BattleHawks

Episode 12: Charles Harris and Herman Frazier on collegiate sports during COVID times

Episode 11: Patrick Rishe of Washington University in St. Louis

Episode 10: Game on: An introduction to eSports

Episode 5: Athlete activism and community engagement

Episode 9: Fan safety with Phil Melcher of the St. Louis Cardinals

Episode 8: Eric Stisser reflects on the St. Louis Blues’ championship season

Episode 7: The state of sports betting

Episode 6: Addressing sports crises and diversity with David Cornwell

Episode 4: Nona Lee and Vicky Neumeyer

Episode 3: Kenneth Shropshire of the Global Sport Institute

Episode 2: Mike Tannenbaum of the Miami Dolphins

Episode 1: Josh Whitman of the University of Illinois

Thompson Coburn Publications

The Clock is Ticking: Iowa Jumps into NIL Race with Proposed NIL Bill, effective July 1, 2021

The NCAA Implements a Four Corners Offense As it Postpones NIL Rule Changes

A look at recent student athlete name, image and likeness legislation

Regulatory Hurdles for Sports Betting in Illinois During COVID-19

As sports teams consider reopening venues, what is their liability due to COVID-19?

COVID-19: Checking in on its impact on the sports world

A student athlete’s fight against the system

What the League giveth: St. Louis’ key role in the history of NFL relocation

What I’ve learned about life, law and sports

Drones and sports: A brief overview

Neutral arbitrators in sports: What makes it fair?

But it’s our locker room: What is acceptable behavior in the sports workplace?

Blogs

Trouble afoot: Duke’s ‘Shoe-gate’ highlights current controversies in college basketball

Six years after Penn State, has college athletics really reformed its crisis response?

Drones on campus: What higher ed needs to know

How can a university manage an all-powerful college coach?

TCLEs

The Road from the Final Four

A University’s Guide to Avoid Being a Sports Center Breaking News Headline

Publications

"How Can a University Manage an All-Powerful College Coach?";
Legal Issues in College Athletics, March 2015

"It Happened In Happy Valley";
Sports Litigation Alert, August 10, 2012

"The Gladiators Must Perform";
Sports Litigation Alert, June 1, 2012

"The Book of Basketball: It's All About Winning";
Sports Litigation Alert, July 29, 2011

"Mediation in Professional Sports Disputes";
Sports Litigation Alert, June 17, 2011

Presentations

"Labor Relations in Professional Sports: Does Federal Law Level the Playing Field?"
2012 8th Circuit Judicial Conference August 9, 2012

"Ethics for Sports Lawyers, The Lawyer’s Dilemma: Ethics vs. Reality,"
2012 Sports Lawyers Association Annual Conference May 12, 2012

"Tips from the Pros; Winning Contract Negotiations and Representing Challenging Clients";
Missouri Bar CLE/Washington University School of Law, February 17, 2011

News

Bob Wallace, Mark Sableman Named to Sports and Entertainment Power List

Bob Wallace Appointed Interim President of Explore St. Louis

Fatima Khan and Bob Wallace Named as Diversity & Inclusion Honorees

Bob Wallace Featured for Role as NFL Trailblazer

Thompson Coburn Attorneys Named to Missouri Top 100 Power List

Bob Wallace, Jr. Named to the Power List 2023 for Sports and Entertainment Law by Missouri Lawyers Weekly

Bob Wallace talks sports on Scoops with Danny Mac podcast

Bob Wallace launches sports podcast After the Buzzer

Bob Wallace weighs the neutrality of pro sports arbitrators for Law360

Thompson Coburn leads deal that brought One Direction to Edward Jones Dome

Bob Wallace article: What’s acceptable behavior in the sports workplace?

Ouster of Rutgers coach, athletic director highlights risks for universities

Street Law program introduces 90 St. Louis students to careers in the law

Bob Wallace article: Fiscal-cliff-style negotiations fall flat in the sports world, too

Bob Wallace decides NFL suspension appeal for Seattle Seahawks player

Bob Wallace, Jan Paul Miller publish article on compliance lessons from the Penn State fiasco

Bob Wallace, Mike Minton publish article on NFL concussion litigation

Bob Wallace joins Thompson Coburn as partner