About Cat 5 Sports Management

William Appleton is an accomplished sports attorney with over 20 years of proven success providing elite representation to professional athletes. He has represented professional athletes in MiLB, MLB, UFL, CFL, NFL, Cross-Fit Games, X-Games, and multiple Olympic Sports. A life-long competitive athlete and graduate of UCLA, he pursued his law degree with one goal in mind, becoming a competent and respected sports attorney who defines success by the quality representation provided to the athlete. Mr. Appleton graduated with honors from Marquette University Law School, earning his JD and additional certificate in sports law from the National Sports Law Institute, widely recognized as the premier sports law program in the nation.

Mr. Appleton worked as special assistant to both the Assistant Director and Director of the National Sports Law Institute. In addition, he served as assistant to the Chairman of the NCAA Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects in Sport, which serves as the NCAA's drug testing appeals committee where he obtained specialized knowledge specific to the legal issues regarding drug testing for performance enhancing drugs. Mr. Appleton is fully educated in the drug testing protocols and procedures required of amateur, professional, and Olympic sport athletes.

Mr. Appleton recognizes the sports and entertainment field is rapidly changing and new opportunities abound for college and traditional professional sport athletes. He knows competent representation is essential to securing the best financial return on an athlete’s talent. Mr. Appleton knows the college and professional sports industry inside out and how to best negotiate lucrative contracts, including NIL rights, transfer portal opportunities, traditional endorsement and marketing deals, international and Winter League placement, arbitration, and free agency. Mr. Appleton has previously held agent certification from multiple professional sports Players Associations.

Prior to launching CAT 5 Sports Management, Mr. Appleton worked in private practice and for various government agencies. Mr. Appleton worked in the South Pacific as a staff attorney for an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Northern Mariana Islands, and for a Superior Court Judge of the United States Virgin Islands. He served as the Deputy Attorney General for the United States Virgin Islands Department of Justice and has been licensed to practice law in five state and/or federal jurisdictions, both internationally and domestic.