Apollo Law Firm

01/09/2026

12/29/2025

2025 was a year of momentum for Apollo Sports & Entertainment Law. From wins on the field and screens worldwide to high impact transactions & industry recognition, we showed up where it mattered most: for our clients, partners and community.

Highlights👇

🏆 Field, Track, Tennis & Golf with Clients:
* Women’s Pro Soccer Team finished with the best league record in its inaugural season (Apollo is the team’s Official Law Firm).
* Shane van Gisbergen won the at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
* CLT Sports Ventures brought the pro tennis event back to Spectrum Center for its second year.
* Sponsored three client golf tournaments supporting professional athletes’ charitable causes.

🎬 On Screens Worldwide: Helped the estates of
and share their stories globally through documentaries, both hitting Number 1!

👉 Driving Business & Deal Momentum: Represented
Tepper Sports & Entertainment (Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC), Michael Jordan’s and other high-profile clients in transactions valued in excess of $250 million.

🎤 In Our Industry & Community: From panels and speaking engagements to media interviews, we shared sports & entertainment legal insights. Melinda was featured on podcast and provided legal analysis to news outlets during the antitrust trial.

💻 Online: We enhanced our website (www.apollogrouplaw.com) and leveled up engagement on Instagram, LinkedIn and X.

🌟 Recognition:
* ranked
* Named a Best Women-Led Law Firm
* Invited to become member of L.A. and GGI | Global Alliance (orgs that expand our global footprint)
* Managing Partner named Super Lawyer again (since 2022). Partner earned Rising Star status for the second year.

We’re proud of what we’ve built at Apollo Law and grateful for the clients and teammates who make it possible. Entering 2026 with optimism, purpose, and excitement for what’s next!

12/28/2025

In response to this Sports Business Journal post, some comments from our Managing Partner and leading sports attorney Melinda Morris Zanoni, Esq. on NC State’s NIL agreement and NIL deals in general:

“NIL is pure business and these athletes are adults. This is standard confidentiality language in almost all sports and other contracts. Welcome to adulting.

You are responsible for breaches by your affiliates so keep your circle tight and don’t disclose the terms of your NIL deal. If an athlete doesn’t like it, they can negotiate the provision or sign with another school.

However, NC State’s penalty is questionable given the House settlement requires disclosure of NIL deals over $600, even if subject to an NDA. The lack of NIL transparency isn’t protecting athletes, it’s hurting them and, it’s putting NC State at a competitive disadvantage in recruiting top talent.

One solution is that all schools use a standard NIL template just like real estate contracts.”

NC State’s NIL agreement says athletes can lose 50% of their payment if confidentiality terms are leaked. Even if the leak comes from parents, agents, or attorneys.

NIL clauses like NC State's don’t just hurt athletes — they create financial risk, discourage participation, raise legal/ethical concerns, and could set a dangerous trend across college sports.

(via )

12/24/2025

Cheers to this incredible team ❤️

A year full of wins deserved a proper celebration and Apollo Law’s holiday dinner at RH Rooftop delivered in every way (and yes, we closed the place down)

Here’s to an even bigger year ahead. Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday. 🌲🎁

12/16/2025

Apollo Law’s Melinda Morris Zanoni, Esq., a leading sports + entertainment attorney, joined Spectrum News 1 to break down the major settlement.

Apollo represents both plaintiffs 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports in their business transactions. Melinda predicted last week that the case would settle and even questioned how it ever got to trial.

The verdict: After more than a year of dispute, NASCAR has agreed to amend its charter system to include a form of evergreen charters, an overhaul NBA legend and 23XI Co-Owner Michael Jordan credited to level heads prevailing. “To get to the finish line, sometimes you have to think not just for yourself, but about the sport as a whole,” he said.

Melinda calls the outcome a true game changer for the sport and a pivotal moment for NASCAR’s future.

Watch the news story:

https://lnkd.in/eph-QA6F

12/16/2025

As the official law firm of the Carolina Ascent FC Women`s pro soccer team, we enjoyed their Sponsor Party and our year- round partnership.
Next home match: Saturday, Dec 20 at 2PM against DC Power FC

12/11/2025

Our Managing Partner Melinda Morris Zanoni, Esq. served as a legal expert in news coverage this week of the high-profile NASCAR antitrust trial. The case centers on NASCAR’s revenue-sharing model, charter agreements, which are now under scrutiny amid allegations that the model operates as a monopoly. Apollo Law represents both plaintiffs on business transactions. Melinda helped viewers understand charter agreements and correctly (!) predicted a settlement before the trial ends. We believe the NASCAR landscape will change regardless of the outcome and that the real question to be resolved in the settlement is: Is NASCAR too big to survive?

12/06/2025

Incredible time last night at the Charlotte Invitational inside the newly-renovated Spectrum Center.

Apollo’s Melinda Morris Zanoni, Esq. and Lance White were courtside for a doubleheader featuring Venus Williams vs. Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe vs. Taylor Fritz.

As sports lawyers and proud reps of CLT Sports Ventures
it was amazing to see Charlotte shine on such a big stage. Huge props to the CLT Sports Ventures and Charlotte Sports Foundation teams and special shoutouts to these organization’s leaders Eric Grand and Will Pitts
for planning and executing another flawless event.

Fun moment: Venus actually turned to Melinda and Lance mid match to ask if Madison Keys’ shot was out… and it was! Unofficial line judges!!

An unforgettable night for our Apollo team and professional tennis.

12/05/2025

Apollo Law’s Melinda Morris Zanoni and Alli Boulay kicked off the season in style last night at the Women in Sports and Events (WISE) Holiday Party held at The Underground.

A national organization headquartered in NYC with chapters across North America, WISE empowers and connects women in sports and events.

10/29/2025

Tonight our Managing Partner Melinda was honored to receive the Meck Times 50 Most Influential Women Award.

She shared the room with extraordinary women from across so many industries, each leading, inspiring, and breaking barriers in her own way. It was a reminder how powerful it is when women lift each other up and celebrate one another’s success.

10/23/2025

Apollo’s Melinda Morris Zanoni, Esq. and Lance White spent three action-packed days in this week connecting with clients, partners and peers across the sports & entertainment industry.

One highlight was the Trusted Advisor Sports X Miami Summit, an exclusive, members-only event, featuring thoughtful discussions around life after sports, investment strategies, and securing athletes in a connected world, all topics that align closely with our mission of helping athletes and entertainers build lasting success.

Melinda spoke about Investment Strategies alongside Tate Henshaw (Arc Business Management) Matt Buser (Buser Legal) and David Innes (Georgia Banking Company)

Beyond the conference, Melinda and Lance enjoyed catching up with several of Apollo’s Miami-based clients and exploring new opportunities in one of the most vibrant sports and entertainment markets in the country.

A big thank-you to Trusted Advisor Founder Matthew Hoffman and everyone who made the trip so valuable.