Fred Nance was named to the Browns’ staff on December 8, 2009.
In addition to representing the Browns and handling other client responsibilities, Nance remains as the Regional Managing Partner for the international law firm, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey (US) LLP, where he recently completed his second four-year term on the firm’s seven person Management Committee and has practiced for more than 30 years. He spearheads the firm’s sports and entertainment practice and is highly regarded as an outstanding trial lawyer.
Fred Nance was named to the Browns’ staff on December 8, 2009.
In addition to representing the Browns and handling other client responsibilities, Nance remains as the Regional Managing Partner for the international law firm, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey (US) LLP, where he recently completed his second four-year term on the firm’s seven person Management Committee and has practiced for more than 30 years. He spearheads the firm’s sports and entertainment practice and is highly regarded as an outstanding trial lawyer.
Nance has had a longstanding involvement with the National Football League, including leading the negotiation of a series of agreements with the NFL guaranteeing the return of the Browns to Cleveland. In 2006, Nance was selected from among several hundred candidates as one of five finalists for the position of Commissioner of the National Football League, becoming the first minority candidate in history to reach the final round of competition for Commissioner of a major league sport.
Born and raised in Cleveland, Nance recently completed a term as Chairman of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, the nation’s largest Chamber of Commerce, and holds trustee positions with the Cleveland Clinic, the 50 Club of Cleveland and the Cleveland Foundation, among others.
He is a National Advisory Board Member of the National Association of Black Sports Professionals (NABSP) and is a member of the Black Entertainment & Sports Lawyers Association (BESLA). In 2008, Nance was awarded the Distinguished American of the Year Award by the National Football Foundation, Northeastern Ohio Chapter.
Nance has been with Squire, Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P. since his graduation from the University of Michigan law school. He attended Harvard University as an undergraduate. He resides in Cleveland with his wife, Jakki, daughter, Melanie and son, Ricky.
