Published on November 14, 2024 by Morgan Black  
Cross Keeton

Keeton Cross, a third-year student at Samford University Cumberland School of Law, has written two new articles regarding her research in sports law. Her articles were published by “Conduct Detrimental: The Sports Law Intersection,” a podcast and blog dedicated to sharing the work of lawyers and law students that analyze a wide variety of sports law issues.

In “Imposing Liability for Harm Caused by AI in Light of the Falsified Swift/Kelce Breakup Contract & Eagles Harris Endorsement,” Cross explains there is no defined cause of action for imposing liability for harm caused by false images created through artificial intelligence. This article analyzes and predicts how this area of law will develop.

“Litigators will potentially face certain First Amendment and Supreme Court challenges, but I think that privacy torts could potentially evolve to incorporate these false images,” she said.

In “Breakdown of the House v. NCAA Settlement as Judge Grants Preliminary Approval”, Cross explains the latest chapter in sports litigation.

“This case was filed in response to Alson v. NCAA, the landmark case that opened the door for NIL deals for current and future student athletes,” she said. “If finalized, this settlement will not only allow current and former student-athletes to receive backpay for use of their NILs, but it would also create a revenue-sharing system where colleges pay athletes directly. In the article, I dissect the order granting preliminary approval to the proposed House settlement by breaking down the classes and execution logistics.”

Cross added, “Curiosity in baseball’s unique legal history and the ongoing legal issues in collegiate sports, plus access to platforms like Conduct Detrimental, created an interest and desire to learn as much as I can about sports law. Writing for Conduct Detrimental gives me the opportunity to dissect and process legal issues that I genuinely want to understand.”

As a third-year student, Cross has participated in numerous opportunities that shaped her law school experience. She clerks at Webster Henry law firm and interns in the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s athletic compliance office. She is a member of the Cumberland Council for Student Athlete Resiliency, the Honor Court and the National Arbitration team, and is vice president of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Board.

 “Cumberland is ranked 6th for Best Quality of Life by the Princeton Review for a reason,” she said. “The professors and administration have worked hard to emphasize to us since day one that there are resources and methods of conquering the monster of law school that truly makes it enjoyable.”

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.