Bret Kanis is an agent/attorney with the Hightower Law Firm in Pensacola, Florida. Mr. Kanis is a certified player agent with the National Basketball Players Association. Mr. Kanis’ agent practice primarily involves representing professional basketball players, both in the U.S. and internationally; however, he also has experience in representing professional baseball, football and hockey players as well as basketball coaches. Mr. Kanis has sports marketing experience, having worked with professional and Olympic athletes with respect to their endorsements and marketing as well as a minor league sports league with respect to league-wide sponsorships. Mr. Kanis’ legal practice primarily involves representing closely-held businesses and their owners in all aspects of general business and tax law (including the formation of business entities, the acquisition and disposition of businesses and tax planning) as well as estate planning. As part of Mr. Kanis’ legal practice, he has represented professional athletes in contract negotiations, contract disputes and their off-the-field business ventures and personal matters; ownership groups in their potential purchase of professional sports franchises; and student-athletes in issues relating to their National Letter of Intent. Mr. Kanis graduated with a B.S.B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis; a J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law; and a LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law. Mr. Kanis received the highest grade in his sports law class where his professors were prominent sports agents, Dan Fegan (basketball) and Barry Axelrod (baseball). Upon graduation from law school, for 2 years Mr. Kanis co-authored a bi-weekly sports law article that was published in the George Washington Law School, Pepperdine Law School and Hofstra Law School Newspapers. Throughout his career, Mr. Kanis has had the opportunity to work with high-round draft picks, Hall of Fame athletes and Olympic Gold medalists in various capacities as an agent and attorney. Bret is a regular speaker at both our Portsmouth Basketball Invitational Career Conference and the Vegas Summer League Games Basketball Career Conference.