Charles W. Mentkowski Sports Law Alumnus of the Year Award

Andre N. Salhab, Law ’12
Winter Garden, Fla.

As associate general counsel for the Orlando Magic, Andre Salhab has both a vocation and an avocation, combining two of his favorite things — the law and sports. He credits Marquette Law School with giving him the foundation for his success, from the courses he took to his involvement in the National Sports Law Institute to his internships and the people who mentored him along the way.

Andre loves that his daily career is so varied, with no two days ever alike. He feels privileged to be serving in a role where he knows his work is important and matters every day. Andre continues to challenge himself, constantly learning and understanding new and revised laws and legal precepts, pushing himself each day to be a better leader than he was the previous day. He has a long-term goal to be general counsel of a team or professional organization.

Andre values opportunities to give back, both to the Marquette community and to his local Orlando community. He returns to Marquette for recruiting events for the National Sports Law Institute and to serve on discussion panels. In Orlando, he partnered with My Brother’s Keeper Orlando in a program that paired high school boys of color with minority mentors to give them an inside look at the sports industry.

How did Andre, a Florida native, choose a law school in Wisconsin? As he was weighing the benefits between the sports law/entertainment law programs at Marquette and the University of Miami, it was scholarship aid from Marquette that tipped the scales. Andre recalls a long conversation with his parents about the scholarship opportunity and the relief it would provide him in the future. Although at the time he was reluctant to leave his friends and family, he says, “Boy, am I thankful that I made the right call and became a Marquette Golden Eagle.”

Fun Facts:

Is there a Marquette faculty or staff member who had an impact on you?
Without a doubt, I would have to say that Professor Paul Anderson had the greatest impact on me and continues to have an impact to this day. He not only had an impact on me as a professor, but also as a mentor and a friend. Whether it was teaching me how to research, providing advice on internships/jobs, or lending an ear when something was troubling me, Professor Anderson has been there for me for many years. I am truly grateful and appreciative of him. Marquette is lucky to have him as a member of the community.

What is the Marquette class you remember most? Why?
The Marquette class that I remember the most would have to be Criminal Law with Professor O’Meara. To this day, I still remember the stories . . . and remember just wanting to be a sponge so I could soak up every bit of information. Professor O’Meara made learning quite fun, and each of his stories centered on a new topic. Criminal Law with Professor O’Meara was like watching a movie; the only thing that was missing was the popcorn.

Leave a congratulatory message for Andre!