Howard L. Ganz is co-head of the Sports Law Group and former co-chair of the Labor & Employment Law Department.
Howard represents and counsels clients with respect to a wide variety of labor and employment matters, such as employment discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful discharge, defamation, breach of contract, discipline, and large-scale reductions-in-force. His litigation experience has run the gamut, from single plaintiff lawsuits to major class actions, in federal and state courts in New York and elsewhere. The clients Howard has represented include the National Broadcasting Company, Reader's Digest, Marubeni America Corporation, The Ford Foundation, AIG, Prudential, United Parcel Service, Major League Baseball, and the National Basketball Association.
Clients of Proskauer’s Sports Law Group include Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, the National Football League, Major League Soccer, the ATP and WTA Tours, the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Jets.
Howard has served as principal outside labor counsel for the NBA for over 25 years, advising the NBA in connection with collective bargaining negotiations between the League and the unions representing both players and referees, and he has assisted the Women’s National Basketball Association in the negotiation of its collective bargaining agreements with the union representing WNBA players. Howard also has represented Major League Baseball in its collective bargaining negotiations with the Major League Baseball Players Association and in various matters involving the Major League umpires.
Education
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Columbia Law School, LL.B., 1966
Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
Articles Editor, Columbia Law Review, 1965-1966
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Colgate University, B.A., 1963
Admissions & Qualifications
- New York
Clerkships
- U.S. District Court, New York, Southern District - Hon. Marvin E. Frankel
Court Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit
- U.S. District Court, New York, Eastern District
- U.S. District Court, California, Northern District
- U.S. District Court, New York, Southern District
- U.S. Supreme Court
Memberships
New York City Bar (Past Chair of Sports Law Committee)
Federal Bar Council
New York State Bar Association
New York County Lawyers’ Association
Awards & Recognition
SportsBusiness Journal Champion of Sports Business 2018
New York Law Journal Lifetime Achievement Award 2018
New York Super Lawyers 2010-2019
Lawdragon & Human Resource Executive Employment Lawyers Hall of Fame 2014-2019
Lawdragon & Human Resource Executive Most Powerful Employment Attorneys, Top 20 Labor Management 2011-2013
Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America, Sports Law 2012
Lawdragon & Human Resource Executive 10 Most Powerful Employment Attorneys in the United States
Lawdragon 3000 Leading Lawyers in America 2010
The International Who's Who of Management Labour & Employment Lawyers 2012
Chambers USA: Nationwide: Sports Law (Senior Statespeople) 2018-2019
Chambers USA: New York: Labor & Employment (Senior Statespeople) 2018-2019
Chambers USA: New York: Labor & Employment 2004-2017
Chambers USA: Nationwide: Sports Law (Band 1) 2005-2017
The Legal 500 United States: Labor & Employment 2007
The Legal 500 United States: Labor & Employment Litigation 2007, 2009-2018
The Legal 500 United States: Labor & Employment: Workplace & Employment Counseling 2007-2008
The Legal 500 United States: Media, Technology & Telecoms: Sport 2008-2010
The Legal 500 United States: Labor & Employment: Disputes (incl. Collective Actions): Defense 2019
The Legal 500 United States: Industry Focus: Sports 2014-2019
Best Lawyers in America 1987-2020
“World’s Leading Labor and Employment Lawyers”
“500 Leading Lawyers in America”
“100 Best Lawyers in New York”
Fellow, College of Labor & Employment Lawyers
Benchmark Labor & Employment Stars 2019