Professor Duru has authored numerous articles and book chapters exploring employment discrimination in the sports industry, and his new book, Advancing the Ball: Race, Reformation, and the Quest for Equal Coaching Opportunity in the NFL (Oxford University Press, 2011), is the first book to examine the battle for equal employment opportunity among coaches and front office personnel in the National Football League.

After receiving his undergraduate education at Brown University, Professor Duru completed a joint-degree program at Harvard University, receiving a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School.

Following his graduation, Professor Duru served as a law clerk to the Honorable Damon J. Keith of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.  He was then associated with the law firm of Wilmer Cutler & Pickering in , where he litigated complex civil actions before both state and federal courts.  In 2003, Professor Duru joined Mehri & Skalet, PLLC, where he represented plaintiffs’ interests in employment discrimination and other civil rights matters. Much of Professor Duru’s work involved challenges to discriminatory employment practices in professional athletics. In recognition of this work, the National Bar Association honored Professor Duru with its 2005 Entertainment and Sports Lawyer of the Year award.  In recognition of his dedication to teaching, Professor Duru received ’s 2008 George P. Williams Memorial Award for the Outstanding Professor of the Year.

Duru has provided commentary for a number of media outlets, including BBC, NBC, MSNBC, National Public Radio, The Washington Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The New York Daily News, and he is a Legal Analyst and Commentator for The Post Game, Yahoo! Sports’ online magazine.

Education
J.D., Harvard Law School
M.P.P., Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government
B.A., Brown University

Teaching Areas
Sports Law, Employment Discrimination, Civil Procedure


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