U.S. Soccer names former NASCAR executive Karen Leetzow as Chief Legal Officer

CHICAGO – The U.S. Soccer Federation has announced the hiring of Karen Leetzow as its new Chief Legal Officer.

Leetzow, an accomplished and results-orientated industry executive, spent 20 years at NASCAR where she most recently served as its Senior Vice President and General Counsel. She will begin her new position in Chicago in early August and is the first executive hire by U.S. Soccer Secretary General and CEO Will Wilson.

At NASCAR, Leetzow directed the day-to-day operations of a 21-person legal department and five-person risk management team. She brings a wealth of legal experience to U.S. Soccer, including specific skills in collective bargaining, anti-trust and trademark matters, litigation management, sponsorship contracts, intellectual property, employment matters, risk management and management of outside counsel.

“Karen brings a vast amount of expertise and broad legal background to U.S. Soccer, and she’ll immediately be a valuable addition to our team,” said Wilson. “She has a strategic mindset and a tremendous work ethic, and I’m confident her presence and skillset will further strengthen the foundation of our organization.”

Leetzow lives in Chicago with her husband Brett Scharback, who is General Counsel for the Chicago Cubs. Fluent in German, Leetzow earned her J.D. at the American University Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C. and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Vermont.