TJ Milk

By: Matt Jacob

Like the vast majority of college football players, TJ Milk had to hang up his cleats following his four-year run with the University of Jamestown football team in North Dakota.

Milk did not, however, have to give up on a professional sports career. 

A lifelong Las Vegas resident, Milk is laser focused on parlaying his forthcoming law degree from the William S. Boyd School of Law into a government relations or compliance position with a local pro sports team. It’s a plan he began to put into action during his sophomore year at Jamestown after securing an internship with the U.S. Senate.

“It was an invaluable experience, one that introduced me to a host of accomplished government lawyers and lobbyists,” Milk says. “That’s when I recognized the profound influence a legal professional could exert — not just on individual cases, but on the broader community."

“I [also] witnessed firsthand the significant impact of legal frameworks on all athletes. This observation fortified my desire to immerse myself in law and sports.”

Milk already has gotten a taste of his desired vocation thanks to a past externship with UNLV’s Government and Community Relations office and current internship with the Las Vegas-based UFC. Among his responsibilities in the latter role: assist the UFC’s government relations department with day-to-day and long-term projects; conduct research on political and legislative issues; and help plan events to host elected officials and candidates.

“Interning with the UFC presents a unique chance to apply and further hone the skills I’ve acquired at Boyd and during my congressional internship,” Milk says. “More than just a renowned company, the UFC resonates with my personal passions. For instance, its global outreach always fascinated me, especially in the realm of domestic and international government relations.”

As with all Boyd Law students, Milk is eager to finish his studies, take and pass the State Bar, join the legal workforce, and begin making his mark in his hometown.

“Las Vegas has rapidly evolved into a major hub for the sports industry, and Boyd has been instrumental in this transformation,” Milk says. “The school not only provides an academic foundation but also fosters deep connections within the burgeoning sports sector here."

“Being able to attend my hometown law school has presented the perfect opportunity to have a positive impact in my community while being a part of the growth of the sports and entertainment industry in Southern Nevada.”