Adam G. Mersereau

Partner

Adam G. Mersereau is a “business lawyer.” His areas of expertise are: (i) serving as outside general counsel for privately held companies and start-ups, advising on most types of business contracts and transactions; (ii) sports law, including governance, media, sponsorships, and event operations; and (iii) the design, development, licensing and protection of intellectual property, primarily trademarks, copyrights and software.

Adam’s legal career began in 1998 when he joined the corporate transactional group at McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP (now Dentons US LLP) in Atlanta, where he represented blue-chip corporations and technology start-ups. Adam also ran the firm’s domestic and international trademark practice.

In 2003, Adam became the Director of Legal Affairs at the International Olympic Committee’s revenue-generating subsidiary, called IOC Television and Marketing Services, S.A. (IOC TMS). For the next five years Adam helped to draft, negotiate, and manage the global Olympic sponsorships that comprised the IOC’s TOP Programme. Adam also helped build a long-term strategy for improving the global legal protections for the IOC’s famous “five rings” trademark.

Adam left the IOC in 2008 to become Assistant General Counsel for the PGA TOUR in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, where he was later promoted to Senior Vice President. At the PGA TOUR, Adam was the lead business attorney for the PGA TOUR’s “New Ventures” business group, the International Media group, the Partnership Marketing group, PGA TOUR Charities, and other divisions or business units including PGA TOUR Entertainment and PGATOUR.COM LLC. He also had responsibility for the PGA TOUR’s global portfolio of trademarks. While at the PGA TOUR, Adam helped to establish golf’s Olympic governing body in the US, called USA GOLF FEDERATION, and served as Chief Legal and Integrity Officer for the International Golf Federation (IGF) at the Rio Games in 2016.

Prior to becoming a lawyer, Adam was a Captain in the United States Marine Corps. He grew up in South Carolina and graduated from the College of Charleston in 1991 and Georgia State School of Law (with honors) in 1998. Adam has taught Business Law to MBA students as an adjunct professor at Georgia State University, and has written or contributed to several journal and law review articles. He has also lectured on corporate and/or intellectual property law at Emory, Stetson University, and conferences hosted by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Sports Lawyers Association (SLA).

Adam is licensed to practice law in Florida and Georgia.

Speaking/Lecturing

• Stetson University, guest lecturer for undergraduate class on Sports Marketing, April 2016.
• Sports Lawyers Association (2015), panel speaker on revenue structures for professional golf, tennis and auto racing.
• World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), guest speaker for first “IP in Sports” conference held in Jamaica, April 2011.
• Sports Lawyers Association (2008), panel speaker on the “Road to Beijing” at annual conference.
• Robinson School of Business, Georgia State University, instructor for graduate course in “Law and Ethics in Business,” Summer Semester of 2000.
• Emory University Goizueta Business School, guest lecturer for undergraduate class on Director and Officer Liability and Mergers and Acquisitions, June 1999.

Community Involvement

• Board Member, Evangelical Counsel for Abuse Prevention (ECAP).
• Previously served as the Steering Committee Chairman for “Birdies for the Brave,” the PGA TOUR’s national military outreach initiative dedicated to raising money for a select group of military veteran’s charities, as well as honoring the courageous men and women of the United States Armed Forces and their families. See www.birdiesforthebrave.org
• Elder and board member, Sunrise Community Church in Atlantic Beach, Florida.