LEGAL ASPECTS OF SPORT – EMPLOYER LIABILITY HAT ASSIGNMENT Purpose This assignment is designed to give students critical thinking and problem solving skills necessary for careers in the sport industry. Students will apply legal principles and policy
LEGAL ASPECTS OF SPORT – EMPLOYER LIABILITY HAT ASSIGNMENT
Purpose
This assignment is designed to give students critical thinking and problem solving skills necessary for careers in the sport industry. Students will apply legal principles and policy concepts to interpret information, draw conclusions, and develop a solution to the legal problem presented.
Skills
- Use critical thinking and problem solving skills to identify, analyze and interpret relevant laws and precedents.
- Use critical thinking and problem solving skills to examine legal issues in a sport context.
- Incorporate legal reasoning and legal analysis to predict legal outcomes and develop managerial responses based on the predicted legal outcomes.
Standards
- COSMA CPC component – Sport Law
- SPAD SLO – Critical Thinking
Process
This assignment involves analyzing legal issues and legal standards and precedents and formulating solutions based on actual issues currently facing sport industry professionals. You will be provided with background information related to a real or simulated scenario in the sport industry. Using the information provided and information from class, your task is to locate and identify the applicable legal standards and policy documents in order to understand the potential legal outcomes. Additionally, you will develop managerial solutions and make policy recommendations to address this potential legal outcome and its impact on the organization. There are four main learning objectives of this assignment.
1. Identify the Relevant Legal Issues and Legal or Policy Standards
What specific legal/policy issues does the scenario raise for the organization? Based on these legal/policy issues, what law, rules, precedents, and/or policies are relevant to develop the legal standards by which this controversy will be decided.
2. Analyze and Apply the Legal Standards to the Facts/Problem
Using legal reasoning, how will the legal standards or policies be applied to our situation, based upon your analysis of the applicable law, rules, precedents, and/or policies.
3. Reach a Conclusion or Decision Regarding the Predicted Outcome
Explain your predicted legal/policy outcome and discuss what, if any immediate or inevitable impact it may have upon the sport industry and your organization.
4. Propose Practical Managerial Solutions for the Sport Organization
What significant recommendations would you make based upon your predicted legal/policy outcome and your research into current industry practices. Be specific in terms of how confident you are that the predicted outcome with have an immediate or inevitable impact on the organization and how your proposed solutions will help to avoid or minimize losses; or create competitive advantages for the organization.
Style & Format Guidelines: Your paper must be professional and well-organized. Use headings and subheading to not only organize your information, but to also provide the reader with a roadmap for your analysis. An appropriate cover page should be included. The written text should be double-spaced in Times New Roman, 12-font, with normal margins. You are required to have at least four references for your research that are properly cited within the body of your paper. You may use your textbook and the articles provided in BB as references. All references should be listed on an APA 7 formatted Reference page (example in BB).
HAT ASSIGNMENT BACKGROUND AND INSTRUCTIONS
Background
On January 15, 2023, University of Georgia Football recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy was driving a university-leased SUV near the Georgia campus in the Athens, GA area. The other passengers in the car were fellow Georgia football staff Victoria Bowles and two UGA football players: offensive linemen Devin Willcock and Warren McClendon. The group was wrapping up a day that was spend celebrating the UGA football’s national championship victory earlier that week.
In a tragic accident, LeCroy and Willcock were killed when the SUV left the road and crashed into multiple poles, trees, and another vehicle after leaving Toppers International Showbar in Athens. McClendon and Bowles were transported to the hospital with multiple injuries, but both survived the crash. The investigation found that the SUV LeCroy was driving was operating "in a manner consistent with racing shortly after leaving the downtown Athens area." The vehicle that LeCroy was racing was operated by UGA defensive lineman and Philadelphia Eagles 2023 first-round draft pick Jalen Carter.
In the months following the accident, lawsuits were filed by Dave Willcock, Sr., the father of Devin Willcock, and Victoria Bowles against multiple parties: UGA Athletic Association, Chandler LeCroy, Toppers, Jalen Carter, and Sarchione Auto Company (the company that provided Carter his SUV through an NIL deal).
While this is a very complex case involving multiple parties, your assignment will focus on Dave Willcock, Sr.’s lawsuit against the University of Georgia Athletic Association (UGA AA).
Assignment - Part 1
Research and provide a written analysis of the facts of the case and the background for Willcock’s claims against the University of Georgia Athletic Association (UGA AA). Your research should include information to address the following questions.
· Section 1 - Summary of Case Facts: Summarize the facts of the accident, to include: parties involved roles and status, circumstances that contributed to the accident, relevant background. (1-2 pages)
· Section 2 - Liability Analysis: Analyze each area of employer liability and determine, in your opinion based on your knowledge and research, which apply in this situation (1-2 pages minimum):
o Vicarious liability - From your textbook (and study notes), what are the two key principles to consider in determining VL? In your opinion, could UGA be held vicariously liable in this situation? Why or why not?
o Direct Liability - From your textbook (and study notes), outline the primary questions to determine whether an organization may be held directly liable in the following areas: negligent hiring, negligent retention, negligent supervision. Based on the facts you found in your research, could UGA be liable for negligent hiring, negligent retention, or negligent supervision (address each).
· Section 3 - Elements of Negligence Claim and Damages: Address whether the basic requirements of a negligence claim are met: duty, breach of duty, causation, damages. What amount and type of damages are being sought by Mr. Willcock? (1 page)
Assignment - Part 2
For Part 2, you are to assume the role of an athletic administrator at Big State University, a D-I university at a large, public FBS university in the state of Georgia. Based on what you learned from researching and analyzing the UGA case, you have been tasked with drafting a policy to outline the use of University-leased or owned vehicles by athletic department employees. This document should address areas that were deficient in opening up the UGA AA to potential liability in the LeCroy case. You may use bullet points to outline the components of the policy following a 2-3 paragraph introduction of the policy.
Learning Objective |
Exceeds standards |
Meets standards |
Fails to meet standards |
Identification of Legal Issue(s)
presented in the Case Study |
Accurately identifies and demonstrates in depth understanding of
the primary legal or policy issues and any sub-issues in the case study. Has
prepared accurate, thorough, and professional illustrations for their
research and analysis that represents a deep understanding of the issues |
Identifies and demonstrates fairly good understanding of the
primary legal issues in the case study. Has prepared requested illustrations
for their research and analysis that represent a general understanding of the
issues |
The legal/policy issue is either not identified or has been
identified incorrectly. The requested illustrations are either not provided
or are lacking in depth and accuracy suggesting either inadequate research or
analysis of the issues. |
Identification of Legal Standards
Applicable to the Problem in the Case Study |
All applicable legal standards (laws and precedents) and
applicable policies have been accurately identified and interpreted with
significant discussion in the context of the case study. |
Legal standards (laws and some precedents) and applicable
policies are identified and discussed in the context of the case study is
provided. |
The legal standards or the applicable policies are either not
identified or have been incorrectly identified. |
Application of the Legal Standard to
the Relevant Facts |
Thorough, critical and insightful analysis of the facts, laws
and precedents as applied to the issues in the case study |
Some critical analysis of the laws and precedents as applied to
the issues in the case study |
Minimal or No analysis of the issues against the laws and
precedents. |
Develop a Legal Conclusion |
States a clear conclusion and decision consistent with previous
analysis. |
States a conclusion or decision supported by the previous
analysis. |
Fails to state a conclusion or decision; or fails to connect the
conclusion to the previous analysis. |
Develop and Discuss Proposed Solutions
Based on Legal Conclusion |
Provides well-developed and thoughtful managerial solutions or
recommendations for the scenario based on their legal conclusions and policy
analysis |
Provides managerial solutions or recommendations for the
scenario that shows some consistent connections between their conclusions and
the policy analysis |
Fails to provide any substantive managerial solutions or
recommendations; or recommendations lack substance or credibility |
References |
Includes References in Text and Reference Page consistent with
APA citation style with no errors or very minor errors |
Includes References in Text and a Reference Page fairly
consistent with APA citation style less than 2 significant errors |
Fails to include References in Text and/or Reference Page; or
lacking any consistency with APA citation style; or recurring APA errors are
present |
Writing Style |
Language is engaging, Precise and appropriate for audience and
purpose. Writing style is fluent with precise transition words and phrases.
Word choice and transitions reflect heightened
understanding of the subject matter |
Language is clear, appropriate for audience and purpose. Writing
style is coherent with transitions words and phrases. Word choice and
transitions reflect solid
understanding of the subject matter. |
Language is vague. Writing style is simplistic, confusing, or in
accurate with few or no effective Transition words. Several abrupt shifts
in ideas are present suggesting little
understanding of the subject matter. |
Organization |
Professionally organized (cover sheet, table of contents,
consistent use of font, sections clearly identified, page numbers). Complies
with format guidelines |
Professionally organized with only minor errors such as no page
numbers or minimal section headings. Complies with most of the format
guidelines |
Does not satisfy the format guidelines. Unstapled and/or disorganized.
No table of contents, page numbers, or appropriate headings |
EMPLOYER LIABILITY CASE STUDY – HALLMARK ASSESSMENT RUBRIC – S24 (60 points)