Playing in the Legal Big Leagues

To compete at the highest level, athletes give 110%. Mia Treuer, ’17, ’21, a sports attorney at the top of her game, is no different.

As Counsel for On Location, Mia plays a key role in some of the world’s most high-profile sporting events, including the FIFA World Cup 2026™, the LA28 Olympics, the Super Bowl, and the Ryder Cup. Her responsibilities include navigating complex commercial contracts, advising business teams while ensuring compliance, managing issues involving international regulations, and securing key partnerships tied to the tournaments.

Strategic from the Start

Before joining On Location, Mia was Associate Counsel for the Orlando Magic, where she managed global partnerships, waivers, NDAs, and contract systems. She got her start in Washington, D.C., with Monumental Sports & Entertainment, owner of eight professional teams — including the NHL’s Washington Capitals and the NBA’s Washington Wizards — plus Capital One Arena.

One of her most challenging early projects was negotiating a jersey patch deal between the Capitals and Caesars Sportsbook, the first sportsbook to open inside an arena in the U.S. “Sports betting was in its infancy, and becoming legal in different states,” Mia explained. “There are a lot of laws to consider when writing the jersey patch agreement.”

Mia’s jobs provide constant learning opportunities. “There are many kinds of law involved in sports. There's sweepstakes law, which is something you learn in the business. Data privacy is huge; you deal with players' contracts, collective bargaining agreements, and alcohol laws because sports are a big draw for minors. You have to consider all of these different facets. You work with many departments: finance, global partnerships, strategy, and social media teams, and touch so many parts of the industry. That’s what I love about doing it.”

Learning the Plays 

Mia knew that a traditional law firm path wasn’t for her. When a professor at the UND School of Law mentioned having both a law degree and an MBA, Mia’s game plan started to take shape.

During her second year of law school, Mia enrolled in an online, accelerated MBA at Concordia University in St. Paul, Minn. She also started networking with sports industry professionals on LinkedIn, which, Mia said, “jump-started my industry knowledge.”

Preparation Pays Off

While her jobs have come with courtside perks, Mia says the best employees in sports aren’t super fans. “These are businesses that want the best people working for them – people who will be objective and do the necessary work.”

Like the athletes she supports, Mia knows that success is built with steady preparation, teamwork, and clear goals.

There are so many kinds of law involved in sports... You touch so many parts of the industry. That’s what I love about it.Mia Treuer, ’17, ’21,