Key legal issues facing intercollegiate athletics will be addressed at the 10^th annual sports law conference sponsored by the DePaul University College of Law. The event, which brings together expertise in the legal and collegiate sports arenas, will be held 8 a.m., Oct. 6, at the Union League Club, 65 W. Jackson Blvd. Pat Kennedy, DePaul’s men’s basketball coach, will provide the keynote address.

"There are all kinds of legal issues in the world of intercollegiate athletics," said William H. Baker, a DePaul College of Law professor and a chief organizer of the program. "This conference will examine some of the year’s cutting edge legal issues including the new employment of athlete’s rule, NCAA eligibility and the control of athletes’ weight and health."

Speakers will include lawyers and sports experts from such organizations as the U.S. Department of Education, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Specific sessions will be:

• Gender Equity—Planning for the Future. Presented by Suzanne M. Bonnet, an associate at the Denver, Colorado firm of Hogan & Hartson. Bonnet’s practice covers a variety of education and finance-related matters including gender equity. She will be joined on the panel by Mary Frances O’Shea, National Coordinator for Title IX Athletics for the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. A 21-year veteran of the Department, O’Shea is responsible for providing and assuring equity and excellence in the delivery of education services. George M. Shur, legal counsel for Northern Illinois University, will moderate.

• Employment of Student Athletes—Are the New Rules Good or Bad? Presented by Charles Harris, Commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. As a former director of intercollegiate athletics at Arizona State University, Harris was responsible for 600 student athletes in 21 varsity sports and supervised nearly 500 employees. DePaul athletic director, William Bradshaw, will moderate.

• Licensing: The Do’s and Don’ts. Presented by Leslie Bertagnolli, a partner with Baker & McKenzie who specializes in intellectual property and information technology. Henry I. Thomas of Thomas Sports Management and an adjunct lecturer in Sports Law at DePaul will moderate.

• Eligibility Issues. Kevin Lennon, Director of Membership Services for the NCAA will lead the discussion. Jean Lenti Ponsetto, DePaul University’s senior associate athletic director, will moderate.

• Weight and Health Issues—Wrestlers and Other Athletes. One presenter will be George M. Shur, legal counsel for Northern Illinois University. He has presented papers at numerous regional and national meetings of associations of higher education, and attended the Harvard University College of Education Institute for Educational Management. Another presenter will be Kathy Hoteling, director of counseling and student development at Northern. Hoteling is an expert on eating disorders and weight issues. William Lynch Schaller of Baker & McKinzie will moderate the session.

• The Operation of Summer Camps—Avoiding Areas of Liability. Presented by Andrew Ives, Senior Associate General Counsel for the University of Iowa. With over 10 years of experience in higher education, Ives teaches a yearlong seminar in Sports Law at the University of Iowa. Baker will moderate the session.

Pat Kennedy, who will provide the luncheon keynote address, was named head coach of the Blue Demons’ men’s basketball team in June 1997. Working with his staff, Kennedy has put together the number one recruiting class in the country as ranked by "Hoop Scoop" and "The Sporting News." His overall record includes 11 post-season appearances, seven of which were in the NCAA Tournament, and six conference championships in 18 years of coaching.

A special opening reception will be held at 6 p.m., Oct. 5, on the outdoor veranda atop the DePaul Center, 1 E. Jackson Blvd. The cost of the conference is $175. For more information call 312/362-6229, or see the DePaul home page on the Internet at