Andrew Visnovsky Senior Counsel

Andrew has written extensively on the global soccer industry, and has spoken at numerous events including the Football Transfer Forum and Law In Sport’s Football Law conference. 

Andrew Visnovsky graduated from Villanova University School of Law in Philadelphia, PA and received a Masters in International Sports Law from the Instituto Superior de Derecho y Economía.

Prior to law school, Andrew graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science.

Prior to joining Vela Wood, he spent three years in the MLS Player Department advising MLS clubs on player transactions and FIFA regulatory compliance. While at MLS Andrew drafted and updated the league’s roster rules and advised clubs on salary cap compliance matters. Andrew also spearheaded the league’s management of FIFA training rewards payments and assisted the league’s clubs and managed outside counsel in matters before FIFA’s dispute resolution bodies and the Court of Arbitration for Sport. 

After leaving MLS, Andrew continued to advise MLS clubs and international sports governing bodies, including FIFA, on sports management and regulatory related matters through his sports management consultancy, Ad Victoriam Sports Group. He also represented coaches, players, agents and high performance personnel in transactions with soccer clubs within and outside of MLS. He continues to operate his sports management consultancy, in addition to his role at Vela Wood. 

Prior to joining MLS, Andrew was a litigation associate at a wall-street law firm in New York City, and clerked for the Hon. F. Patrick McManimon in the Civil Division of New Jersey, managing the Court’s special civil mediation programs. 

While in law school Andrew interned with Morgan Sports Law where, among other things, he assisted in the anti-doping dispute of 2013/A/3327 Marin Cilic v ITF which set significant CAS precedent in anti-doping disputes involving the WADA Code.

Select Representations

• Advised  FC Cincinnati on their acquisition of the Brazilian striker Brenner, the largest player acquisitions in MLS history, and the largest in the club’s history.
• Advised an MLS expansion team’s technical staff on MLS rules and strategy for their initial roster and salary budget. 
• Advised an international sports governing body on questions related to American collective bargaining agreements in sports.  
• Advised Ravel Morrison and his agent on his signing with DC United. 
• Advised New York City Football Club on their acquisition of future MLS Golden Boot winner, Valentin “Taty” Castellanos. 

Presentations

• “Financial Solidarity,” LawInSport Football Law Digital Conference (May 26, 2021)
• “Doing Business in the USA,” European Football Agents Association Football Transfer Forum (January 21, 2021

Publications

• “How The FA’s Visa Requirements Apply To American & Major League Soccer Players,” LawInSport (September 2021)
• “Labor Structure and Regulations of the National Women’s Soccer League Explained,” LawInSport (July 2021)
• “Breaking Competitive Balance: MLS Salary Cap 101,” AndrewVisnovsky.com (April 2021)
• “Disciplinary Procedures in International Football: CONCACAF Disciplinary Proceedings & Regulations” Issue I-2017 (October 2017) 
• “A Dispute Over Training Compensation in US Soccer: US Youth Soccer Clubs v USSF, MLS, & MLSPU,” LawInSport (April 2017