Professional Baseball Attorney Scott Boras Speaks in UC Davis Entertainment & Sports Law Society Event

Scott Boras, one of the top agents in professional sports, spoke to a packed house at the UC Davis Recreation and Activities Center Ballroom on February 27 in an event sponsored by the UC Davis Entertainment & Sports Law Society and UC Davis School of Law. 

Approximately 380 UC Davis students and faculty turned out to hear Boras, who as founder, owner, and president of the Newport Beach-based Boras Corporation has negotiated some of the most lucrative contracts in professional sports, including three $200 million-plus deals in Major League Baseball.

A Sacramento-area native, Boras talked about playing baseball for the University of the Pacific and in the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs organizations, and the period of uncertainty he experienced after injuries cut short his career, which led him to understand the importance of "managing yourself and self-understanding," which he called the "cornerstones of achievement." Boras said that understanding that his knowledge and experience of baseball made him uniquely suited to assess the value of players and prospects and negotiate on their behalf was an important factor in his success. He encouraged students to ask themselves, "What is it that you are the best at?" and make career decisions accordingly.

Boras, whose tough negotiating skills have made him a controversial figure in some circles, often used humor to enliven his talk.   At one point, he mentioned a lesson learned from King Hall alumnus Laurence B. Wohl '72, now a University of Dayton School of Law Professor Emeritus.  "He said, ‘You know you're really an effective lawyer when 95 percent of the people you know are saying something bad about you," said Boras.  "Boy, have I lived up to that one."