Madeline A. Salamone

Madeline “Maddie” Salamone concentrates her practice in the areas of commercial litigation and sports law, with a focus on collegiate athlete matters. She is a member of the Florida, New York, and Georgia Bar.

Maddie has extensive experience in the collegiate sports world, as a former college athlete turned sports attorney and athlete advocate. She has advised college athletes and their families on matters concerning eligibility, scholarship appeals, abuse and mistreatment, transfers, mental health issues, and NCAA policy. Maddie also provides name, image, likeness (NIL) contract review, as well as education and consultation on matters relating to college athletes and policymaking. She is currently Vice President of the College Football Players Association (CFBPA).

Born and raised in Bel Air, Maryland, Maddie was a three-sport athlete in high school was and an Under Armour All-American. She was awarded a scholarship to Duke University, where she was a member of the national semi-finalist Duke Women’s Lacrosse team. She received a B.A. in Public Policy and a Certificate in Markets and Management. She went down Tobacco Road and attended the University of North Carolina School of Law.

Prior to law school, Maddie served as chair of the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), where she advocated for college athletes across Division I, while serving on rules working groups, legislative and leadership councils, and consulting with numerous groups within the NCAA. She was awarded the ACC President’s Award for Exemplary Service in 2017 for the lasting impact of that advocacy and continues to be a leading voice for NCAA reform and college athletes’ rights. Her prior experience also includes working for a litigation firm in New York City.

Recently, Maddie testified before Congress during the House Committee on Small Business hearing, titled, “Athletes and Innovators: Analyzing NIL’s Impact on Entrepreneurial Collegiate Athletes.” She appeared on ESPN’s SportsCenter in 2022 to discuss changes to the NCAA transfer portal rules in college football. Maddie was featured in ViceTV’s 2021 documentary “Vice Versa: College $ports, Inc.,” which addressed the ongoing efforts by many to reform the NCAA. Maddie also testified before the North Carolina General Assembly’s Legislative Commission on the Fair Treatment of College Student-Athletes in January 2019, addressing the tremendous need for reform in college sports.

Maddie frequently serves as an expert speaker to law schools, bar associations, and sports conferences regarding major issues within college sports. She is often called upon by national news media as a source for her commentary and opinion on legal issues in college sports.

Her informative content can be found on her YouTube channel and her podcast, “Speaking of Athletes,” which address the complex legal and other issues within college sports, especially those affecting athletes.