Paul J. Batista, JD, is an Associate Professor in the Sport Management Division in the Department of Health and Kinesiology within the College of Education and Human Development, serving as Division Chair and Associate Department Head from 2010-2014. He received his Juris Doctor degree from Baylor University Law School in 1976, and his B.S. in Business Administration from Trinity University in 1973. In 2013 he earned a Certificate of Advanced Studies in European Sports Law and Policy presented by the Faculty of Law, University of Leuven, Belgium.

In 2016 President Young appointed Dr. Batista the Faculty Athletics Representative for Texas A&M, making him the primary liaison to the NCAA and SEC. He also serves on the Faculty Athletics Council and the A&M Pro Sports Panel that advises student-athletes contemplating a career as a professional athlete.

He has practiced law since 1976, primarily in Caldwell, Texas. He has been admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, is licensed to appear in all courts in Texas including the Texas Supreme Court, is a certified Mediator and Arbitrator, and has been elected a Life Fellow in the Texas Bar Foundation. Dr. Batista has also served as County Judge of Burleson County, Texas, handling the administrative duties of the County, as well as presiding over the County Court hearing civil, criminal, juvenile, probate, and other types of cases. He was a certified athlete agent for 12+ years during his time actively practicing law.

He has taught the Legal Aspects of Sport classes at Texas A&M since 1991. In 2015 he was presented with the Texas A&M Bush Excellence Award for Faculty in International Teaching by the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation. He has also received the Texas A&M Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching, the Student Led Award for Teaching Excellence, and has been named a Montague Center for Teaching Excellence Scholar. His teaching evaluations average 4.9+ on a 5 point scale.

Dr. Batista is a member and Past-President of the Sport and Recreation Law Association, and was named a member of the inaugural class of Research Fellows. In 2015 he was named the recipient of the Betty van der Smissen Leadership Award, the highest award presented by the Sport and Recreation Law Association. His primary research interest is sports related liability issues in school settings, with particular emphasis on First Amendment religion and free speech issues. He has authored 35 research publications and book chapters which have appear in journals such as the Journal of Legal Aspects of Sport, Marquette Sports Law Review, The University of California Hastings Communications and Entertainment Law Journal, The University of Texas Journal of Entertainment and Sport Law, Sport Marketing Quarterly, the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, and the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, among others. He has delivered over 95 research presentations at numerous conferences, continuing legal education seminars, and Law Schools throughout the United States, as well as in Canada, China, Germany, Ireland, Slovenia and South Korea. He is an affiliated faculty member of the Center for Sport Management Research and Education.

He also leads the 5-week Sport Business in Europe study abroad to Germany and Austria each summer, making site visits to international headquarters of sport organizations and sponsors such as the International Paralympics, Red Bull, Adidas, Bayern M[252]nchen, DHL, several stadia, and cultural site visits such as Dachau Concentration Camp, Rhine River castles, and historical towns.


Webpage: http://batista.tamu.edu