Mali Friedman is Chief Legal Officer & SVP, Business Affairs for the Washington Commanders. A member of the executive leadership team, Mali oversees the team's Legal and Business Affairs functions and provides organization-wide legal and strategic support.
Mali is an experienced sports and entertainment executive with expertise in legal and business affairs, media, digital, sponsorship, and strategic initiatives. After starting her career as an attorney at Covington & Burling, Mali worked for the National Hockey League, the Golden State Warriors, and the XFL. As the VP, Legal & Business Affairs, for the XFL, Mali served as the General Counsel and oversaw the legal, business affairs, and security departments for the league and all eight teams. Previously, as Assistant General Counsel for the Golden State Warriors, Mali managed a broad array of legal and business affairs matters as GSW shifted to a broader sports and entertainment focus, opened a new state-of-the art arena and surrounding retail center, and won two NBA championships during her tenure.
Mali received her JD from Stanford Law School and graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Public Policy and International Affairs from Princeton University, where she was a member of the women's tennis team. She also serves as a member of the U.S. Board of Directors of Right To Play, a non-profit established over two decades ago with the mission to protect, educate, and empower children using the power of sport and play.
