- About
About USC Gould
USC Gould is a top-ranked law school with a 120-year history and reputation for academic excellence. We are located on the beautiful 228-acre USC University Park Campus, just south of downtown Los Angeles.
- Academics
Academics
Learn about our interdisciplinary curriculum, experiential learning opportunities and specialized areas.
Student Quick Links:
- Admissions
Admissions
USC Gould helps prepare you for a stellar legal career. You can pursue a JD degree, one of our numerous graduate and international offerings, or an online degree or certificate.
- Students
Students
Participate in an unparalleled learning experience with diversity of people and thought. Get involved in the law school community and participate in activities that enhance your studies.
Student Quick Links:
- Careers
Careers
We work closely with students, graduates and employers to support successful career goals and outcomes. Our overall placement rate is consistently strong, with 94 percent of our JD class employed within 10 months after graduation.
- Faculty
Faculty
Our faculty is distinguished for its scholarship, as well as for its commitment to teaching. Our 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio creates an intimate and collegial learning environment.
- Alumni and Giving
- Admissions

Their wide world of sports
USC Gould School of Law
- ABOUT USC GOULD
- A MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
- + HISTORY OF USC GOULD
- LAW, RACE AND EQUITY
- + NEWS
- + EVENTS
- BOARD OF COUNCILORS
- CONSUMER INFORMATION (ABA REQUIRED DISCLOSURES)
- VISIT US
- SOCIAL MEDIA
- + CONTACT US
Friday, January 6, 2023
Amanda Oliver (JD 2005), Casey Schwab (JD 2013) and John Slusher (JD 1994) take different paths to successful careers in sports
By Matthew Kredell
For Amanda Oliver (JD 2005), Casey Schwab (JD 2013) and John Slusher (JD 1994), ambition and focus — plus an education at USC Gould — landed them influential positions in sports fields of name, image and likeness (NIL), international sports and automobile racing.

“The skills I learned being in-house counsel for almost a decade continue to be helpful in the subject matter of NIL and helping schools navigate laws, but also in starting a company,” says Schwab, who is Altius’ CEO. “It doesn’t matter if you’re selling NIL assistance to schools or selling hot dogs, it helps to have a law degree from USC.”
A four-sport athlete in high school, USC Gould’s reputation in sports law attracted Schwab. He was president of the Sports Law Society and landed his first job out of law school by connecting with a speaker in his sports law class.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2021 ruling last year in National Collegiate Athletic Association v. Alston opened the door for NIL, changing college sports. Schwab, formerly head of business affairs for the NFL Players Association, was well positioned to provide NIL solutions directly to universities with Altius Sports Partners. The company helps athletic departments provide NIL education and compliance and develop commercial strategies. Today, Altius partners with half of the Power 5 conference athletic programs, including USC. Their approach: partner with schools instead of athletes.
“College athletes don’t have the economic stability around them to hire people, so they turn to their school,” Schwab says. “We want to provide education and infrastructure for the athletes first and foremost, but in order to do that we need to make sure the entire ecosystem is working.”
‘Second-Best Job in Sports’

As Nike’s executive vice president of global sports marketing since 2007, Slusher oversees Nike’s partnerships with athletes and teams around the world (about 8,000 athletes and 2,000 teams including USC Athletics). He has worked with sports stars including Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Serena Williams.
“If I can’t be quarterback in the NFL, I think this is probably the second-best job in sports,” Slusher says. “I’ve been pretty fortunate to work with some of the greatest athletes, teams and leagues in the world, and at the same time help drive the incredible brand and business of a company like Nike.”
Slusher started practicing law at O’Melveny & Myers LLP and sought roles where he could use his legal training in sports business. In 1998, that opportunity arose at Nike, where his father Howard ( JD 1972) worked for four decades for founder Phil Knight. Howard Slusher passed away in 2022.
“I would not have been hired at Nike without my USC law degree and experience practicing corporate law,” Slusher says. “Three years of law school at USC prepares you incredibly well for a career in law, but it also prepares you for so much more.”
Setting Sights on Plan A

It paid off.
One of many responses was from Tommy Warlick, then assistant general counsel at NASCAR, got her a summer internship that led to 17 years with the association. Last year Oliver was promoted to senior vice president and general counsel, overseeing NASCAR’s legal department.
“I worked 20 hours a week for NASCAR through my third year of law school, took the summer off to take the bar, then moved to Daytona Beach [NASCAR’s headquarters],” says Oliver. “I can’t believe it has led me to be general counsel for a major sports organization.” Oliver handles all areas of NASCAR’s business including racetracks, media and licensing. A career highlight came in 2019 when she helped NASCAR partner with sports data company Genius Sports to deliver its first live betting platform to legal sportsbooks.
“There are more and more opportunities in the space because of gaming, social media and content production,” Oliver says. “The ‘general’ part of general counsel means you never know what will need your attention and no day is ever the same.”
Read More
- Next Article: A legacy of teaching, leading, giving
- Previous Article: Alexander Capron awarded emeritus faculty designation from USC
RECENT NEWS

A lifelong love of storytelling
September 18, 2023

USC Gould welcomes JD class that raises standards of achievement
September 18, 2023
New 1L class is the most academically accomplished on record at the law school

Facing the tragedy of war
September 13, 2023
Professor Marcela Prieto’s new book, “The Morality of the Laws of War,” argues for strengthening international law to el...