Jill Pilgrim’s distinguished career includes decades of experience working in the legal, sports business, corporate and academic environments, as an attorney, strategic business consultant, international consultant, arbitrator, entrepreneur, law professor, speaker, and published legal author. Ms. Pilgrim is the managing attorney and owner of Pilgrim & Associates Arbitration, Law & Mediation LLC, based in New York City. She has built a national reputation as a prominent business, sports and dispute resolution (DR) lawyer, practitioner and advisor.
Pilgrim’s career spans a diverse array of work environments; big law, in-house counsel, solo private law practice and higher education. She served as general counsel of the Ladies Professional Golf Association, and as general counsel and director of business affairs for USA Track & Field, Inc. -- the Olympic governing body for the sport of track & field.
As a former athlete, Pilgrim saw the acute need for representation of youth, amateur and Olympic athletes. For this reason, she founded the Center for the Protection of Athletes’ Rights, Inc. (CPAR), a nonprofit advocacy, education and legal service provider for low-income members of the U.S. athletic community.
The following are Ms. Pilgrim’s current board and committee service activities:
- Fellow of the New York Bar Foundation
- Member of New York State Bar Association (NYSBA)
- Vice Chair of NYSBA Dispute Resolution Section and Sports ADR Committee Co-chair
- NYSBA Entertainment Arts Sports Law (EASL) sports committee Co-chair
- Metropolitan Black Bar Association ADR Section Co-chair
- Member of Board of Advisors of the National Sports Law Institute of Marquette University School of Law
- Member of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics
- Member of Board of Directors of the Athletics Integrity Unit (international)
Ms. Pilgrim’s honors and awards include being the Marquette University School of Law’s National Sports Law Institute 2018 Joseph E. O'Neill Award Recipient, for making a significant contribution to the sports industry while exemplifying the highest ethical standards (October 2018). She was recognized by the Columbia University Black Law Students Association as a Paul Robeson Distinguished Alumni Honoree (February 2018). In 2005, Ms. Pilgrim received the Larry Ellis Track & Field Distinguished Alumni Award from Princeton University’s Friends of Princeton Track alumni association.