At Kettner Law Corporation, we have more than 40 years combined experience in the action sports industry and our proud to call skaters, UFC fighters, surfers, snowboarders, and other action sports figures as clients, partners, and friends.

Our story as with many in the action sports industry began with hard work, dedication, and style. We work intimately with our clients towards a main purpose: providing practical solutions to the broad range of legal issues facing them in all cycles of their business life.

As action sports junkies ourselves, our attorneys know the egos often associated with being the best of the best (and rightly so), but we never let personalities interfere with our integrity as a law firm or with what’s best for our clients. No client is too small or too big, and all have the right to quality legal representation.

Action Sports and Entertainment Transactions

The action sports lawyers at Kettner Law Corporation have the resources and legal knowledge needed to address any sports or entertainment transaction legal issue you may be facing, including:

Athlete management
Contract negotiations, drafting, and review
Sponsorship agreements
Record label agreements
Production agreements
Endorsement deals
Licensing agreements
Registration and enforcement of trademarks.

Our skilled action sports lawyers can also assist athletes with legal transactions, such as:

Corporate startup
Intellectual property (IP)
Tax and estate planning
Litigation.

If you are involved in the action sports industry and are in need of expert legal advice, do not hesitate to contact our law firm now. We understand the needs of action sports professionals and know how challenging it can be to find representation you trust. Our clients are like family and we don’t let our family members down.

Action Sports Attorney - Skateboarding

“In order for us to understand our future, we must first recognize our past.” – Dennis Martinez, 1977 World Freestyle Champion

Skateboarding and the skate industry have evolved considerably since the action sports inception sometime in the late 1940’s. Born from surfers looking for something to do when the waves were not producing, skateboarding has now become one of the most well know action sports in the world with more than 11 million active skateboarders. Skateboarding origins are in California, as is ours, and we are proud to call skaters friends and clients. At Kettner Law Corporation, our action sports attorneys know how competitive the world of skateboarding is and can help give you a leg up in a tough industry. Let us handle your action sports legal issues, so you can do what you do best without any interference or distractions.

The experienced action sports lawyers at Kettner Law Corporation can handle all of your legal issues, including:

Athlete management
Contract negotiations
Sponsorship agreements
Endorsement deals
Licensing agreements
Intellectual property (IP)
Tax and estate planning
Corporate startup
Litigation.

For more information about our law firm and to learn how we can assist you with your legal transactions, please call us today to arrange a free case review. You can trust us to handle your legal issues professionally and diligently.

Skateboarding Origins

No one really knows who made the first skateboard, but it’s likely that a few people had the same idea at around the same time. The first manufactured skateboard came out of a Los Angeles surf shop and hence, sidewalk surfing was created. By the 1960’s, several surfboard manufacturers were creating skateboards that resembled small surfboards, and forming teams to promote their products and the sport. During the early to mid 1960’s, skateboard sales soared into the millions, but by the end of the decade popularity for the sport waned.

1970’s – Freestyle Skating and Board Experimentation

It wasn’t until the 1970’s when Frank Newsworthy introduced the polyurethane wheel that skating started to see a rise in interest again. Skate parks did not exist in the 70’s so skaters flocked to the reservoirs, hills, and flatlands of California. One of the most popular areas to skate was the Escondido reservoir in San Diego. In fact, the terrain of Escondido reservoir served as the inspiration for many of the skate parks in existence today.

During the mid to late 70’s, manufacturers started to experiment with more unconventional materials like fiberglass, aluminum, and modified truck axles. These materials allowed for more maneuverability and handling, and many of the more notable skaters of the time, such as Bruce Logan, Ty Page, and the Z-boys invented new tricks. These skaters pioneered the “vert” style of skateboarding, which continued to grow in popularity during the early 1980’s.

1980’s – Vert Skating and the Rise of Street Skateboarding

The early 80’s was dominated by vert ramp skateboarding and skateboarders who ran skate companies. Ramps made it possible for skaters to perform aerial tricks, such as the no-hand aerial or as it is also called the ollie. However, ramps were expensive to build and not everyone had access to nearby ramps. The lack of ramps forced skaters to seek out local shopping centers, and public and private property as their skating “spots.” As street skating rose in popularity, participation in freestyle and vert skating declined. A new era was being ushered in – the era of street skateboarding.

1990’s – Street Skateboarding Rules

Street skateboarding ruled the 1990’s. Boards resembled the freestyle skateboards of the 1980’s – narrow widths and symmetrical shapes – but wheels were smaller and made of hard polyurethane. Smaller wheels made boards lighter and therefore, made it easier for technical tricks to be performed.

2000’s to Present – Skateboarding Takes its Place in the Action Sports Industry

By the early 2000’s, skateboarding had grown in popularity so much that more people under the age of 18 rode a skateboard than played baseball. Many cities and communities at this time planned for more public land to be used for skateboarding and encouraged skaters to come off of city streets and into organized skateboarding areas. Skateboarding was also seen as a positive tool to teach youth about physical activity, artistic expression, social networking, and the environment. Today, there are thousands of skate parks located across the country, and skateboarders like Tony Hawk and Rob Dyrdeck are international celebrities who have helped propel the popularity of the sport.

This page is dedicated to legend Jay Adams (February 3, 1961 – August 15, 2014)