Baird Fogel is an experienced transactional lawyer who advises clients on a variety of corporate matters and complex transactions.
This include mergers and acquisitions, contract negotiations, commercial law and settlements, compliance, corporate governance, as well as international project finance, project development, and project construction. Baird has particular experience with both domestic and international clients in the sports industry.
Baird regularly advises individual collegiate athletes, as well as professional franchises and athletes in the NFL and NBA on various corporate, transactional and commercial matters related to the operation and sale of professional franchises, sponsorship, NIL, NFTs, sports betting, and investment. He has also developed unique experience with respect to regulatory and energy matters related to the construction of arenas, stadiums and practice facilities, stadium/arena energy efficiency, and stadium/practice facility renewable energy projects. Clients report to Chambers USA that Baird “exudes professionalism" and "he knows the industry so well and his advice is invaluable."
In addition to his sports industry practice, Baird also has extensive experience in the renewable energy space, including matters related to energy storage, microgrids, transmission, net metering, solar, wind, manufacturing, supply chain, distribution, construction, residential, commercial, small- and largescale utility, government relations, and investment and finance.
Baird’s 25-year career has spanned both in-house and law firm positions. Prior to joining Eversheds Sutherland, he was a partner in the sports and energy practice of a major global law firm. Prior to this, he served as vice president and general counsel of BP Solar & Wind, where he developed and implemented strategy for the development and construction of solar projects, the manufacturing of solar modules, and the sale of solar modules in Europe, India, China, Latin America and the US, in addition to managing all legal matters for the company.
Before his role at BP, he served as vice president and general counsel to a global subsidiary of GE Transportation, directly supervising all legal matters for the company's global signaling unit, including managing international legal teams and litigation, establishing joint ventures, developing and constructing infrastructure projects, and advising on supply chain and manufacturing issues. Additionally, Baird was the chief compliance and ethics officer at both subsidiaries for both GE and BP.
Baird currently serves as the Managing Partner of the San Francisco office.
Represented Yahoo Sports in its first ever sports betting partnership with MGM adding sports betting capability to the largest fantasy sports platform in the world.
Represented PGA player Patrick Cantlay in all legal matters including sponsorship deals with FootJoy, Titleist, Goldman Sachs, NetJets and Lexus.
Represented Las Vegas Raiders in several commercial matters, including the first ever Covid-19 “mask-free” NFL program with Clear, the sponsorship agreement with Nevada Energy and all energy matters related to Allegiant Stadium and the Practice Facility.
Represented Haas F1 in its sponsorship deal with Williams Energy and its supply contract with Ferrari.
Represented Vivid Seats in its acquisition of Betcha Sports - a sports betting operator.
Represented Thunder Gaming and Thunder Studios in an e-sports company sale and acquisition with Infinite Reality.
Represented the Las Vegas Raiders in all energy matters related to Allegiant Stadium and the Practice Facility.
Represented James Harden and 13 Endeavors in the acquisition and sale of a minority stake in a global sports company.
Represented James Harden and 13 Endeavors in its acquisition of a minority stake in the Houston Dynamo.
Represented Ice Cube and Big3 Basketball in all corporate, securities and commercial matters since its inception.
Represented a major US-based corporation in the purchase of foreign subsidiaries in Germany and Austria and in negotiations with the US Department of Commerce regarding foreign subsidiaries doing business with persons in Iran and Syria.
Represented a national telecom company in tax-free Federal Communications Commission spectrum license exchanges between wireless carriers.
Represented a major movie theater chain in theater contracts with several movie producers.
Represented a major movie theater chain in theater acquisitions in Canada and the US, as well as gift card transactions with several retailers.
Represented GE in the sale of a rail crossing installation and repair company to a subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc.
Represented GE in transportation contracts and project bids in North America, India, Russia, China, Latin America and Western Europe.
Represented GE in the construction, signaling and establishment of the world's highest rail line between Beijing, China and Lhasa, Tibet.
Represented BP Solar in the sale of solar manufacturing equipment and intellectual property in the US, Spain, China and Australia.
Represented BP Solar in the development and construction of the 32-megawatt solar project, Long Island Solar Farm.
Represented BP Solar in various utility-scale projects in North America, Latin America, Germany, Italy, Australia, Spain and China.
Represented BP Solar in the winning bid for the development and construction for the Solar Flagship Project in Australia.
Represented BP Solar in all commercial transactions with various customers, including negotiating and drafting power purchase agreements (PPA), EPC, and O&M agreements and conducting financing negotiations with various banks.
Represented a solar developer on EPC contracts, negotiating all real property and development documents and also providing assistance on the eventual sale of the project company to a buyer in North Carolina, Vermont, Texas and Georgia.
Represented an American professional basketball team in its transition to new ownership following the suspension of the owner by the National Basketball Association.
Represented a North America-based holding company in its acquisition of a large aluminum recycling business.
Represented a solar module supplier in the establishment of a national sales program for solar modules in the US.
Represented a developer in connection with the development and sale of a 5-megawatt solar project in Hawaii.
Represented an international solar company in the sale of solar assets in Peru.
Represented a global construction company in the negotiation of joint venture relationships and service agreements for the provision of energy storage and water conservation services to various Department of Defense military housing projects.
Represented an international solar company in the negotiation of various Virtual Net Metering Program agreements and the construction of rooftop and carport solar arrays with large commercial property owners.
Represented a developer in the development and negotiation with various lenders on project finance and tax opinions, review of project-related documentation and general advice for the building of solar carports at school and casino locations in the US.
Recognized by Chambers USA: Guide to Leading Business Lawyers in the area of sports law (2025)
Recognized by The Legal 500 United States in the areas of energy: renewable/alternative power (2023-2025); M&A: middle-market (2023-2025) and industry focus: sport (2024-2025)
Recommended, Industry focus: Sports The Legal 500 US (2020)
Member, Law Firm of the Year, Energy/Projects: Power (including Renewables), Chambers USA(2018)
Recommended, Finance: Project finance: advice to sponsor, The Legal 500 US (2018)
Recognized, Leading California Energy Attorneys, Corporate America News- Legal Elite(2015)
Recognized, The International Who's Who of Project Finance Lawyers (2012)
California
Missouri
B.A., Vanderbilt University
J.D., University of Missouri, Kansas City School of Law