Written by Rachel Barkin.
On October 8, 2025, Jim Cobery and Kenny Nelson, legal counsel at the Kraft Group & Affiliates, the parent company of the New England Patriots, spoke with Harvard Law students about their legal work. The discussion was hosted by the Journal of Sports & Entertainment Law and the Harvard Committee on Sports & Entertainment Law.
Nelson shared his path to the Kraft Group. He grew up playing competitive sports and, in law school, became interested in the intersection of sports, business, and law. He interned for Cobery during law school and, after working in securities litigation, eventually joined the Group. His work now involves sports marketing and data privacy.
Cobery shared that he grew up watching the Patriots with his dad. At that time, he never imagined he would eventually work for them. When Cobery was working on a project with Johnathan Kraft, Kraft shared that he wanted to purchase the Patriots. Eventually, they worked on the Patriots deal together. Cobery had planned to spend two years working for the Group and ended up staying for 30 years. Reflecting on his time working for the Group, he spoke fondly of the many great experiences he has had and, of course, his six Super Bowl rings!
Nelson discussed his sports marketing work, which involves the naming rights of the stadium, different advertising, and deciding whether to grant sponsors exclusive rights. He also focuses heavily on data privacy. With the rise of data privacy regulations in response to rapid data collection and use, Nelson works to stay informed on both U.S. and global data privacy frameworks.
Cobery echoed that data privacy is a topical issue right now. Football used to be in the United States and now it is more global. This international focus leads to different rules on data privacy. When sports organizations collect data to better serve sports fans, they need to make sure they are complying with international regulations.
Cobery also shared how the Group handles all aspects of the business. He said the Group looks for employees who are adaptable and enjoy the challenge of tackling new tasks. He wants employees to have exposure to all aspects of the business.
When asked how to become a good sports lawyer, Cobery encouraged students to think about the “why” behind legal tasks they are assigned. In other words, it is important to understand the business in addition to the legal side. He encouraged students to develop a strong skill set in addition to becoming subject matter experts.
