NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has designated former New Jersey Attorney General Peter C. Harvey to hear the Deshaun Watson appeal.
Under the terms of the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, when the NFL decided to appeal the proposed six-game suspension, Commissioner Goodell had the authority to decide the appeal himself, or designate another person to decide the appeal.
Harvey is currently a partner at Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP, practicing out of their office in New York City. According to his biography on the firm’s website, he “has been a central player in civil and criminal trials, government investigations and consumer fraud matters for many years. A gifted trial lawyer, his nearly 30 years of courtroom experience includes significant commercial matters, frequently within the hospitality, pharmaceutical and entertainment/sports industries.”
As noted by the league, Harvey has “deep expertise in criminal law, including domestic violence and sexual assault, and has advised the NFL and other professional leagues on the development and implementation of workplace policies, including the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy.”