The Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) has been fortunate over the years to work alongside some of the best and brightest attorneys who help protect and advance the rights of American Hockey League and ECHL players.  Long-time PHPA General Counsel Ron Jaros has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his 40+ year legal career.  Likewise for PHPA Legal Counsel Bob Riley.  Both have received the PHPA Curt Leichner Distinguished Member Award as voted by the PHPA Executive Committee for their dedicated work on behalf of the players.

Given the aggressive nature of professional hockey, injuries will occur, and when they do, the PHPA turns to an entire panel of expert attorneys from each state who specialize in the area of workers’ compensation law for injured professional athletes.  Known as the PHPA Workers’ Compensation Panel of Attorneys, they work hand in hand with the player, depending on the nature of the injury, to determine the appropriate state to file a claim, as workers’ compensation laws vary from state to state.

The PHPA Workers’ Compensation Panel of Attorneys meet at least once each year at an event hosted by the PHPA to discuss best practices, and to ensure the needs of the players are being met.

To help guide the PHPA Workers’ Compensation Panel of Attorneys, the PHPA selected three members of the panel to serve as Tri-Chairs, including Jim Aven, Ben Boscolo, and Bert Villarini.  All three are long-time Panel Members and continuously go above and beyond to assist injured athletes. 

When they heard about the PHPA’s efforts to establish the PHPA-ECHL COVID-19 Player Relief Fund for ECHL players who had their season prematurely end due to COVID-19, they felt compelled to help, and garnered enough support to make a collective $21,000 contribution on behalf of all PHPA attorneys towards the fund.

“We know this is a difficult time for ECHL players and their family members,” said Bert Villarini.  “They play hard, train hard, and we knew many of these players wouldn’t be able to work their regular summer jobs.  We wanted to show our support, and come forward to help the players which we all represent.  Everyone on the Panel seemed genuinely happy to help, and we received 100% participation.”

Those comments were echoed by fellow Tri-Chair Jim Aven who felt moved by the situation.  “I work with players in sort of a different way, and I really get to see and understand the human element.  This situation was out of their control.  These guys are only as good as they are healthy, and one has to be moved with how hard they work to live their dream and achieve success.  Their hockey career can come to a sudden, unexpected halt at any time due to an injury, and in some ways like this pandemic.  I know the other attorneys on the panel are good, hard working, successful, and dedicated people who all have big hearts, and supporting this fund just seemed like the right thing to do.”

Villarini has been a lawyer for over 30 years and had a hand in helping form the PHPA Panel.   

“Around 1993, I was introduced to Larry through PHPA General Counsel, Ron Jaros.  Larry had just come on as Executive Director of the PHPA and wanted to learn more about players rights through workers’ compensation.  I was based in New York and in close proximity to the PHPA office, and I was already a member of the NFLPA Workers’ Compensation Panel of Attorneys, so I met with Larry and we began to develop the PHPA Panel.”

It was through this relationship where the PHPA began working closely with the NFLPA, and in turn developed closer ties to the other major player associations while attending joint meetings on players workers’ compensation rights. 

It was also through this connection where Tri-Chair Ben Boscolo was introduced to the PHPA. 

“In 1999, our firm hired Gerry Herz who was on both the PHPA and NFLPA Panel of Attorneys.  He went out of his way to introduce me to Larry and I was flattered to be asked to be part of this highly respected group of attorneys.”

Each year, all three Tri-Chairs along with some of their colleagues attend the PHPA Annual Meeting of Player Representatives and deliver a panel-style presentation moderated by Senior Advisor to the NFLPA, Richard Berthelsen, to help provide an overview of the workers’ compensation process, while addressing any concerns players may be experiencing. 

“The PHPA has gone to great lengths to protect players rights,” said Villarini.  “It’s an important benefit.  We just try to make sure players are aware and take advantage of these collectively bargained provisions.”

“I always stress to players that workers’ compensation benefits are the players’ right, and nothing should prevent them from pursuing and protecting those rights,” added Boscolo.

Jim Aven always stresses the importance that reporting injuries, or not reporting injuries, could have major implications for the athlete later in life, especially with statute of limitations provisions.  “I always remind players to report all injuries in a timely manner, aside from the minor ones, so they never have a regret later in life.  I also advise players to never neglect treatment, particularly when it comes to head trauma.”

All told, the PHPA Workers’ Compensation Panel of Attorneys work hard on behalf of the players because they care for the well-being of the athletes and the livelihood they provide for their families. It’s why they felt compelled to contribute towards the ECHL COVID-19 Player Relief Fund. 

“It’s been a true pleasure of my career to be involved with the PHPA, to work with these remarkable athletes, and I have an enormous respect for Larry and how much he genuinely cares for the players,” said Aven.  “We’re here to help, and I could tell Larry cares deeply about the success of the ECHL Player Relief Fund and how it will help so many players and their families, and thus it became important to me as well.”

“The reason I love being a workers’ compensation attorney, which even goes back to my days in law school, is that I always wanted to help the little guy,” said Boscolo.  “And it is a privilege to represent ECHL and AHL players, who typically don’t earn what their NHL counterparts earn.  As Tri-Chairs, we crafted a message to the other attorneys about contributing towards the Relief Fund which came on behalf of the Panel.  Not the PHPA or any one attorney.  It was a group contribution.  We didn’t care who donated what amount.  Everybody did what they could do.”

That collaborative spirit has been a key to the PHPA’s success over the years in advancing and protecting players’ rights.  Now during these challenging and uncertain times, the players are fortunate to have a dedicated team at their disposal who continue to raise the bar on their behalf.