Notable Leaders in Law: Michael Sneathern

Class of 2024

Michael Sneathern, chief legal officer for the Milwaukee Bucks, has been with the organization since 2001, when he was an intern while in law school at Marquette University.

He worked as in-house associate counsel under the team’s previous owner, the late Herb Kohl, and later managed through an ownership change in 2014. Sneathern became chief legal officer in 2019.

During his tenure, Sneathern has been involved in all company transactional matters, including major sponsorship, naming rights partnerships and media rights agreements, along with NBA and collective bargaining matters. He manages all legal matters impacting the Bucks, Fiserv Forum, the Deer District and all affiliates, including the Wisconsin Herd, Bucks Gaming and Head of the Heard, the teams’ real estate development company.

“Mike had a large role in finalizing Fiserv Forum’s naming rights sponsorship and its multifaceted beer partnership with Beechwood Sales & Service/Anheuser-Busch,” said Kate Reed, Bucks communications coordinator. “When the pandemic hit, shutting down the NBA in March of 2020, Mike was instrumental in leading the effort to manage the organization through all related legal and business matters impacting the team.”

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