Jim Tanner, a lawyer at Williams & Connolly whose N.B.A. clients include Tim Duncan, Jeremy Lin and Shane Battier, has left the Washington law firm to form his own sports management company.
The new company, Tandem Sports & Entertainment, has opened for business in Arlington, Va., Tandem announced on Tuesday.
A Williams & Connolly lawyer, Helen Dooley, has also joined him. Ms. Dooley and Mr. Tanner left their previous firm on Friday.
Tandem also already has a splashy new Web site, featuring photos and biographical sketches of its clients, which, in addition to basketball stars, includes Candy Crowley, the CNN correspondent, and Paul Rabil, described as “the LeBron James of lacrosse.â€
“Jim is a superb attorney who is following his dream,†his former Williams & Connolly partner, Robert Barnett, said. “Everyone at the firm wishes him and we’ll continue to work them and they’ll continue to be part of our family.â€
Mr. Tanner spent 16 years at Williams & Connolly, a firm started in 1967 by the legendary trial lawyer Edward Bennett Williams. The 250-lawyer firm is perhaps best known for its role in several high-profile Washington political scandals, including its representation of Oliver North in the Iran-Contra scandal and President Bill Clinton during his impeachment trial.
Williams & Connolly has also established a lucrative and somewhat unorthodox practice representing talent in the entertainment, sports and media industries.
Mr. Barnett, for instance, is a prominent figure in the publishing business, representing authors in their contract negotiations. He has established himself as the go-to literary agent for Washington officials and journalists, negotiating book deals for President Obama and President George W. Bush and President Clinton, among many others.
Two other partners, Michael F. O’Connor and Deneen C. Howell, also handle individual contractual negotiations, including employment agreements for political officials entering the private sector.
Mr. Tanner has carved out a niche representing professional basketball players. He joined Williams & Connolly in 1997 after starting his career as a corporate lawyer at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. His mentor at Williams & Connolly, Lon Babby, left in 2010 to become president of the Phoenix Suns. Mr. Tanner did not return a telephone call and e-mail seeking comment.
Typically, agencies like William Morris Endeavor or International Management Group represents talent, charging as much as 15 percent of their clients’ salaries and endorsement deals as a fee. Mr. Tanner instead bills by the hour, an arrangement that often can be less expensive for the athlete or writer. Unlike agents, lawyers are also bound by the bar’s ethics rules.
Tandem would not be the first basketball-focused sports management firm to rise to prominence in the Washington area. David B. Falk, the Washington-based sports agent, represented Michael Jordan during his N.B.A. career, along with dozens of other players, first at ProServ and then at his own company, FAME.
