The Major League Soccer Players Association appoints Eric Harrington

The Major League Soccer Players Association has named Eric Harrington (pictured) as its first general counsel—a role in which he will oversee collective bargaining for contracts covering all the players in the 28-team league. 

Harrington, who previously was senior counsel for the National Education Association, replacing Sherman Dunn partner Jon Newman, who has handled those duties as outside counsel. Newman has worked with the union since 2003 and will continue to do so. 

Harrington spent eight years at NEA, the country’s largest labor union. He’s also served as an appellate attorney at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.