PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT THERE’S SUCH THING AS HAVING IT “MADE.” THIS SERIES TAKES US TO THE GRIND, PERSISTENCE, AND DEDICATION IT TAKES TO PREPARE FOR THE RIGHT CAREER OPPORTUNITIES.
Not all career pathways are the same. What we see as overnight success on social media are archived years of preparation before meeting that opportunity. There are no shortcuts to studying, obtaining a law degree, or passing the bar. Each year of experience counts in building a career in law. Kenneth Anand took a traditional pathway in practicing law and dedicated years to a law firm. Then, he used his experience to understand sneakers and fashion. This led to creating a law firm representing creatives and designers who drive those industries.
Fifteen years were under Kenneth’s belt before being aligned with an opportunity to be the General Counsel for Yeezy, Kanye West’s clothing and sneaker line. He created his own lane, year by year, which led him to a dream opportunity. Today, he is a lawyer, author, consultant, and business owner of streetwear brands like JustDon and 424 Fairfax. To celebrate the launch of the newest module in Sneaker Essentials featuring contributors Kenneth Anand and Jared Goldstein, Kenneth speaks with Yellowbrick about the different milestones he experienced in his career and how they led to creating Sneaker Law.
Sneaker culture is all about being your true self. And so we wanted to create something that embodied what that was about in education.
As a novice…
Having a strong interest in sneakers as a kid, it was a wrap when Kenneth discovered Jordans. Turned sneakerhead at only seven years old, he dreamt about wearing coveted sneakers and building his collection. It wasn’t until several years later when his parents gifted him his first pair of Jordans. He was hooked from then on. Over the years, Kenneth was a sneaker collector and always looked towards a career in sneaker law. He took the necessary steps and a traditional pathway, graduating from Brooklyn Law school and practicing employment law.
As an expert…
Day-by-day, Kenneth put on a suit and stepped into the courtroom arguing cases in state and federal courts. After years of pursuing employment law, Kenneth started his law firm and developed clients in the creative space. He began to represent sneaker designers and brands, offering cost-effective representation across the employment, IP and entertainment fields. Then, Kenneth realized how much more time he wanted to devote to supporting streetwear, fashion, and sneaker brands through law.
The opportunity…
In 2017, Kanye West’s sneaker and fashion line, Yeezy, offered Kenneth a General Counsel role. And for two and a half years, he dedicated himself as their head lawyer. This role turned into Head of Business Development, in which he spearheaded developing new and existing lines of business. When speaking about his time at Yeezy, Kenneth recalls, “as somebody that grew up loving sneakers and hip hop and fashion, this was the perfect storm job for me. It was probably the most hyped I’ve ever been in my career.” While it took 15 years for Kenneth to work hard, arguing court cases routinely, it prepared him for Yeezy.
As somebody that grew up loving sneakers and hip hop and fashion, this was the perfect storm job for me. It was probably the most hyped I’ve ever been in my career.
As notorious as the opportunity and time at Yeezy, Kenneth didn’t stop there. He returned to school to get his Executive MBA in Business. This helped him expand his knowledge, and support his next step in his career before Sneaker Law. After leaving Yeezy, Kenneth co-founded 3 8 0 Group, a fashion licensing company specializing in manufacturing and distributing premium apparel, footwear, and accessories. 3 8 0 group currently owns the licenses to leading streetwear brands such as JustDon, 424 Fairfax, MSFTSrep, and Bel-Air Athletics. Kenneth is also an advisor and consultant to many sneaker companies answering questions around the sneaker business and law.
The creation of Sneaker Law…
When Kenneth met Jared Goldstein, a legal intern for Complex who contributed articles around sneaker law, they began to think of ways to collaborate. As a result, they started the four-year-long process of writing Sneaker Law. A textbook that explains the facets of the sneaker business, Sneaker Law is the first book of its kind. It was important for Kenneth to create something that embodied the culture. Sneaker Law is a book for people to learn and understand the sneaker business. “I felt like [Jared and me] didn’t fit in [law school]. Sneaker culture is all about being your true self. And so we wanted to create something that embodied what that was about in education.”
Sneaker Law inspires courses around the subject matter in colleges and universities. University of Miami Law School, Georgia State, Parsons, and Rutgers use Sneaker Law as an official reading requirement. With FIT and Complex, Yellowbrick has added a new module into our Sneaker Essentials course, Sneaker Law. This module covers the sneaker business, intellectual property, and considerations when making a sneaker deal. Check out our Sneaker Essentials course to get a comprehensive overview of the sneaker industry and sneaker business.
Want to explore becoming a sneaker lawyer or other careers within the sneaker industry and how to get started? Explore our Ultimate Sneaker Career Guide.
