Meet the Savvy Lawyer Helping Athletes and Businesses Protect Their Brands

First-generation lawyer Sivonnia DeBarros is on a mission to help athletes and black founders become more proactive about the legal health of their businesses.

Nicknamed the Protector of Athletes®, the Illinois-based attorney leads SL DeBarros Law Firm, LLC. Since passing the bar in 2013, DeBarros has built a multi-six-figure law firm and authored six works: two children’s books, two legal articles, and two best-selling books, Athletes Making Moves© and What Are You Sporting About?©.

Her law firm represents professional athletes from the NFL, MLS, NBA-G League, and Pro-Table Tennis sports and high-net-worth small business owners, creatives, and employees. She has been featured on reputable platforms like WGN-9 News, CBS-Chicago, ABC Channel 7, TNT, and various podcasts.

UrbanGeekz caught up with DeBarros to find out how she’s helping black founders, athletes, and women reconsider their perspective of the legal profession.

Can you briefly introduce your journey?

I’m Sivonnia DeBarros. I own SL DeBarros Law Firm, LLC, which represents athletes and seven-and eight-figure business owners. We also have some multi-six-figure clients. We support high-net-worth business owners, mainly of black or African American ancestry, trying to break down specific generational barriers to financial freedom and create sustainable wealth. 

In addition, we focus on business, sports, and entertainment. Our practice areas involve protecting intellectual property and contractual rights through federal and state court litigation, drafting and negotiating brand and licensing deals, and filing trademark applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Share your journey from being a Division I College athlete to becoming a successful lawyer.

I knew I wanted to be an attorney since I was four. In elementary school, our teacher asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up. I said I wanted to be a lawyer. I remember telling my mom I wanted to become an attorney, and I can’t recall her discouraging me. So, I grew up believing I could become an attorney, and nothing would stop me.

I’ve also been athletic. Although I didn’t particularly appreciate getting dirty, my mom always had us play sports from a young age, and I realized how fast I was. I played softball, but I wasn’t that great of a softball player however I was so fast. I discovered track and field, which allowed me to compete in college. Alongside wanting to become an attorney, I had aspirations of wanting to be a professional Olympic athlete, but that didn’t happen. 

When was the pivotal moment when you decided the demographic you would serve?

Having a dream or a gift is one thing, but knowing how to make it flourish is another. For years, I struggled with who I’d serve and how I’d find these people. It was in 2017, the year I became pregnant with my son that it clicked for me. I started thinking intrinsically about myself and what I represented.

Where I come from, I’m a first-generation lawyer in my family, the first woman to own and operate a law firm business. I’m a former athlete, so I started thinking about all those things in conjunction with being categorized as African American and some of the struggles that we face.

These demographics might be different, but they’re all the same. While first-generation business owners, women business owners, and athletes coming into business may be considered different demographics, we face some of the same challenges, and all those things embody who I am. I credit my son for that moment because, in a moment of being physically pregnant, I gave birth to my dreams.

That was the pivotal moment. 

How has it been serving this demographic? What are the recurring core issues that most entrepreneurs who are people of color and athletes face?

A problem in our community is that we only contact an attorney when it’s too late. Even millionaire clients wait too long until millions of dollars are at stake. People wait too long to seek legal support or lack consistent support. 

Brands, trademarks, and millions of dollars are at risk; some could lose everything. I recently had a client who had to rebrand because they didn’t have an attorney working with them. It turned out that what they used was part of a large company’s brand. But even on the flip side, even if those clients are already working with an attorney, the truth is, they generally need more support to enforce their rights. 

We’ve also had to do something like that for another seven-figure client. If people are utilizing your brand or infringing on your rights, you must be in the driver’s seat to fight the good fight and litigate those issues. 

Can you share a specific story of how you’ve helped an athlete or an entrepreneur of color build a solid legal foundation for their business so they can overcome or avoid all of these problems? 

The biggest problem I run into is people come to me once they have a problem. So it’s different working with a company from the ground up to helping them grow. It’s all coming in the middle of something happening. Essentially, we help companies re-shift their focus so they can invest in long-term legal solutions. 

Instead of just offering these clients a one-time fix, we offer a plan to help them mitigate losses and liability with our legal plans. 

The goal is to help the client create a long-term relationship and support with their attorney, allowing the attorney to learn more about their business, its needs, brands, and long-term goals to support the client better. Furthermore, instead of the client paying for individual issues to resolve, they choose a plan to work from that fits their budget.  These plans generally include contract, trademark, general business, and lawyer resolution issues. However, we offer way more so the client receives proper comprehensive support.

For example, I represent multiple speakers. I help them understand how their intellectual property rights are used when they speak and during the contract negotiation phase. I also manage their trademark rights to ensure they are adequately implemented inside their contracts. 

Our higher-tier clients also benefit from building their full business foundation with our outside advisors. Advisors include Human Resources (HR) professionals, tax and accountant professionals, and more. Working with all these vendors helps us create a more solid legal foundation, which means working with other attorneys.

We also help clients decide how to exit or set up their estates with the support of estate attorneys. I help them determine where their assets are, who they will transfer those rights to, how, and the best way to protect those assets. I also look at their insurance before handing that file over to an insurance agent for increased protection.

Many people don’t consider that part of their legal support. Still, it’s crucial because if you have a particular insurance policy for your business but lack the proper provision to protect you if you’re sued, you’ll pay that money out of pocket.

We help them get insurance professionals who create more equitable insurance policies.

That’s like looking at every single thing and foundation for the business owner, and those are part of our higher-tier packages, so they don’t have to purchase it piecemeal. We will help you because we have these contacts and relationships, and I already see where your holes are. So, we will start plugging everything together.

Imagine a young, upcoming rising athlete who will be big or an aspiring black entrepreneur with this fantastic tech idea. What legal steps should such athletes take to protect their brand or ideas as entrepreneurs? 

Since ideas are not protectable, here are a few things you can do if you have a great idea. One option is to refrain from discussing the idea. The problem is that just because you have the idea doesn’t mean someone else will not. However, you could file an intent-to-use trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”).

You can show the USPTO later and say, ” Hey, I’m using this now for this particular purpose.” 

So, rising athletes or entrepreneurs starting at the college level or beyond should apply for trademark protection regardless of what they use to generate income.

Second, they should register their business if they’re making money from the brand or have expenses. In the States, we call that Entity Registration. 

You can register by visiting your local Secretary of State’s office in your specific State or online. There are multiple types of entities, but the most popular ones people know are LLCs ( limited liability companies). However, you can register corporations, general partnerships, professional corporations, and professional limited liability companies specified in certain States.

There are multiple types of entities; they’ll want to understand what each one does and which is best for them.

Thirdly, if the athlete or entrepreneur has a partner with whom they’ll do business, the most significant mistake is entering these relationships without clarifying who will be responsible for what.

They need to clarify how they will split the money. Who will be responsible for expenses? How will we wind up the business if we get into an argument and don’t want to work together anymore? I recommend a general partnership with business partners, but it is always a great idea to consult an attorney before getting too deep.

And to be mindful, consulting with an attorney is not just for a short time but also for what you want to achieve in the next 10 or 20 years.

What’s this business’s end goal? Sit down with an attorney and discuss those things. Now, you can determine what kind of trademark you must file. How do I protect the brands I’ve created in my partnership agreement if I have a partner? Based on the type of business I want, what entity should I register to get the best benefits from my activities?

What advice do you have for bootstrapping startups that want to attract investors, avoid exploitation, and stay compliant with the law? 

I’m not a VC attorney, but I help clients prepare for these conversations. First, it depends on what type of investment the client is looking for, which goes back to the company’s long-term vision.

Suppose you want your company to be on the stock exchange. In that case, you’ll need an attorney who understands how to position it and deal with angel investors, venture capitalists, and other investors.

Another thing to consider is whether they want investors to have a stake in their company. When you’re taking your company public, those people own it. Are they (“investors”) going to have an interest in it?

Investing in a company doesn’t have to translate to ownership rights; you could structure your deal to pay them back an interest. Figure out the financial bottom line before bringing in an investor. 

Here are some considerations: Am I willing to give away a piece of my creation? What parts of the company will remain mine? What rights will the investors have in the business? Will I keep control of the company or become a minority owner after investing? Many people don’t realize that investors aren’t going to invest unless they have a great idea.

People should know that serious investors will only invest in a company with legal protection. Otherwise, their money could go into a black hole. Any investment has risk, but why would they invest in something they could lose? Having legal support to help you do everything we’ve discussed will put you in a good position for investors’ dollars and make them think, “This person’s a serious business owner.”

Being a serious business owner goes beyond having a trademark or two. It means ensuring that every level of your business is legally protected. Regularly enforce your rights against people who infringe or try to use your assets without permission. Design a business plan to show how you will use the funds. This will increase your value and put you in a better position when entertaining investors.

What advice would you give to law professionals and women of color who want to own their law firms? 

Yeah, I get a lot of young black women who approach me. Some are already in law school, and some want to attend. The biggest issue I see, and maybe it’s a generational thing, is that some of our young black women are looking for a handout. 

If I give you an opportunity and you don’t step up to do what is expected of you, how will you fare in this industry? I didn’t know a lawyer when I wanted to be one, but I went to law school. I put in the work, I showed my dedication, and whatever I did, I did it to the best of my ability. That’s still a character trait I have to exhibit to this day.

I don’t have to be asked to do anything. And so one thing that our younger generation needs to understand is that you still have to show up, do the work, and have the right work ethic and character to advance in your career. You’ll struggle if you don’t develop these skills. 

Also, I think sometimes, when younger black women see me, or they see me at conferences, we smile and have fun, and it motivates them. But if you want to come to work with me, I work. I expect you to work and put in the time. I don’t do well with excuses. 

We need to connect with the younger generation and let them know that although things are much easier now, you still have to work. We’re still working and have a certain work ethic that will lead to long-term wealth for our kids and grandkids.

If you want this, you must get on board. I can feel newer things coming into full force, like AI or whatever the situation is. But you can’t be so entitled to think that you don’t have to do anything. 

Conversely, I want young women to be recognized for their work.

Although in the States, there’s a lot of discrimination and microaggressions, there are so many things that will try to keep black Americans down. But the truth is, you’re already brighter than 90% of the people around you. You may have to work harder to get the recognition you deserve but know you’re already smart, capable, and deserving.

You said you didn’t know any black lawyers when you were coming up or started your law firm. So, who inspires you? Who is that person of color that inspires you? Probably a lawyer or who’s not a lawyer.

My former contract professor, Professor Mabel Martin Scott, inspired me in law school. She was the first powerful black woman I saw in law practice. Believe it or not, I feared contracts when I went to law school. For some reason, they just made me cringe. I still have the recommendation letter she wrote me. I respected her because of the power I felt she exhibited and the way she commanded the room.

The way she spoke about contracts changed my entire perspective on them. Although I wanted to be a lawyer at a young age, my idea of an attorney was to be a criminal law attorney. I saw how my people were treated and wanted to support them. And then, in law school, I decided to become a prosecutor because I could choose which cases I would prosecute.

I saw it as an opportunity to give my community a fighting chance. But when I connected with Professor Martin-Scott, I said, “You know what? I can help my people with business.” We’re always thinking about the law regarding getting out of jail or saving us from the police, but there are other perspectives. We should look at it from an empowering point of view. 

We can empower ourselves by understanding our contracts and learning more about business. She explained how to conduct business and enforce your rights and was responsible for changing my entire mindset around contracts.

Now, you talk about the person I looked up to as a black woman. That would be my grandmother, Glovine Smith, who passed away in November 2020. All the women in my family believed in me, including my mom, Iris Bailey. I love my mom, but something about my relationship with my grandmother still resonates with me today and holds me warm and tight. She was indeed my best friend.

She was also a person who heavily invested in my education. While I was in law school, my husband and I were dating. She and my husband were like, “You know what, we’ll pay for your rent because we don’t want you working this little part-time job. We want you to be focused on what has been your dream your entire life.” 

My grandmother, who had minimal education, always instilled in me a heart of gratitude and service, a heart of education, and an understanding of what I want from my life and how I can support other people in doing that.

As for my mom, she instilled the power of education in my life. From a very young age, my mom illustrated the importance of education. Years later, I realized the power it truly gave me. During moments of my life when I felt out of control, my education was what I could control. My mom was 16 when she had me, and to know that a young woman could be that wise at that age is still puzzling for me. But I genuinely appreciate the educational foundation she created for us.

Finally, what are your predictions on the future of the legal side of business?

People must know how AI will affect their business and find ways to protect their creative assets. They should also protect themselves from people who want to use these things in a foul way by utilizing AI to create something that paints them in a harmful or immoral light and which has the potential to ruin partnerships and business overall.