With the world's attention focused on the FIFA World Cup, and with Houston serving as one of the tournament's host cities, now is the perfect time to explore a different side of "the beautiful game"—one that unfolds not on the pitch, but in courtrooms, arbitration panels, and legislative chambers around the world.
This month's Latest & Greatest featured title is On Level Terms: 10 Legal Battles that Tested and Shaped Soccer in the Modern Era by Ted Philipakos, available through the Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library's Lexis eBook Digital Collection.
While millions of fans celebrate spectacular goals and unforgettable matches, the modern game has also been shaped by landmark legal disputes that most supporters never see. On Level Terms examines ten pivotal legal battles that transformed professional soccer, exploring issues such as player transfers, employment rights, discrimination, governance, financial regulation, competition law, and the commercial realities of the world's most popular sport. Rather than focusing on scores and championships, the book tells the stories behind the legal decisions that have influenced how clubs operate, how players are treated, and how the sport is governed today.
The result is a fascinating intersection of sports history and legal history. Whether you're a soccer enthusiast, a law student, an attorney, or simply someone interested in how the law shapes society, this book demonstrates that legal principles often play as significant a role in the evolution of the game as the athletes themselves.
This title also showcases the remarkable breadth of our Lexis eBook Digital Collection. Although many patrons associate legal research with statutes, regulations, and case law, our digital library includes hundreds of practical, engaging, and highly readable books published by the American Bar Association. With more than 700 ABA eBooks available, the collection covers an impressive range of topics—from litigation and legal writing to technology, wellness, business development, intellectual property, family law, estate planning, sports law, and much more. Whatever your legal interests, there's likely an eBook waiting to be discovered. See the full list of titles in the Lexis eBook Digital Collection by clicking here.
Best of all, the collection is available free of charge to anyone who registers for access through the Law Library. Once you request login credentials, you'll be able to browse and borrow titles remotely from anywhere with an internet connection.
As the World Cup brings the excitement of international soccer to Houston, consider taking a behind-the-scenes look at the legal framework that helps make the modern game possible. On Level Terms offers a compelling reminder that every great sport has its own legal story—and that some of the most consequential victories happen far from the stadium lights.
To request your free access credentials for the Lexis eBook Digital Collection, sign up here on the Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library website and start exploring one of the most extensive collections of ABA legal eBooks available to the public. Also included is a substantial collection of Texas legal treatises and practice guides published by LexisNexis, including the Texas Litigation Guide, the Texas Transaction Guide, the Texas Criminal Practice Guide, and Texas Family Law Practice and Procedure. Check them out today!