Milton O. Thompson's Profile Image

Milton O. Thompson

Of Counsel
Phone: (317) 567-2222
vCard

Milton O. Thompson is of counsel with the law firm of Bleeke Dillon Crandall. Milt is most recognized for sports and entertainment law, but he also focuses in business law and consulting for entrepreneurs and non-profits, small business financing, and MBE and WBE certification. He graduated from Wittenberg University with a B.A. and from Indiana University Maurer School of Law - Bloomington.

Milt served as the president and CEO of Grand Slam – a sports, entertainment, and recreation management consulting firm. He was also co-founder of Play Ball Indiana which is now called Indy RBI (Program of Major League Baseball), a former certified Contract Advisor with the NFL and NBA Players Association, and a Board Member of the Indianapolis Indians Baseball Club. He hosted the weekly radio show "Playing for Keeps" which is now a television show where he interviews the nation’s top sports celebrities.

Well-known for his work in community development, sports and recreation planning, and in building community collaborations through effective partnerships, Milt served as President and Interim Director of Big Brothers while merging with Big Sisters to create Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Central Indiana. He also played a key role in negotiating the merger between the Legacy Fund and the Indianapolis Foundation in 1997 to develop the Central Indiana Community Foundation of which he was the inaugural chair. That organization now has accumulated assets of more than one billion dollars. Now, Milt serves as the Indianapolis Foundation’s appointment to the Impact Board of Directors as well as the Women’s Fund Advisory Board. Thompson has served on the Indianapolis Bond Bank and then on to the Capital Improvement Board. Thompson served as a board member of Visit Indy and it’s Tourism of Tomorrow Board of Directors.

Milt Thompson is currently the Chairman of Board for the Indianapolis English Foundation and has also been named as Chairman for the Crown Hill Board of Managers. Furthermore, Milt is currently Chairman of the Board for the Indiana State Gaming Commission. In addition, he serves on the faculty for the National Business Institute.

His commitment to the community is attested by his many civic involvements including serving as Chair of the Indianapolis Foundation and as the Chairman of the Indiana University Maurer School of Law Board of Visitors as well as President of its Alumni Association. In addition, he was the former General Counsel and Vice President of Corporate Development for the Pan American Games. Thompson also held the position of Vice President of Indiana Sports Corporation where he led the effort for an Olympic training center. A former First Team All-American baseball player at his college alma mater, Milt has been a member of the college's Wittenberg Board of Trustees and is now an Emeritus Director. A former Marion County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, his honors include the 2004 Business & Philanthropy Award from the National Center for Black Philanthropy in Washington, D.C. and was included on the "Indiana Super Lawyers" list in the Indianapolis Monthly Magazine. In 1997, he received his law school’s distinguished service award. Milt was inducted in 2007 to the most prestigious honor the law school offers as a member of the Academy of Law Alumni Fellows. Thompson was also given the Phi Kappa Psi National Service Award for his unparalleled leadership to our nation. Most recently, Thompson was awarded the prestigious Whistler Award and a national service award for his outstanding civic achievements for the city of Indianapolis in 2020.

Areas of Practice

  • Sports and Entertainment Law
  • Intellectual Property Law
  • Licensing Law
  • Business and Corporate Law

Bar Admissions

  • State of Indiana
  • United States District Court— Southern District of Indiana (1979)
  • Washington D.C. Federal Court of Appeal

Education

  • Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Bloomington, J.D. (1979)
  • Wittenberg University, B.A. (1976) Majors: Political Science/Philosophy. Minor: Speech Communications
  • President, Student Bar Association
  • Member, National Moot Court Team

Honors and Awards

  • Business & Philanthropy Award, National Center for Black Philanthropy, 2004
  • "Indiana Super Lawyers," Indianapolis Monthly Magazine
  • Member of the Academy of Law Alumni Fellows
  • Distinguished Service Award (Phi Kappa Psi)
  • Academy of Law School Fellows Inductee
  • Indianapolis Business Journal “40 under 40” Class of 1994
  • 2020 Charles L Whistler Award (Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee)

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Wittenberg Board of Trustees and Inducted into the Hall of Honor
  • Chairman of Indiana University School Law Board of Visitors
  • President of the Indiana University School of Law Board of Visitors Alumni Association
  • Former General Counsel and Vice President of Corporate Development to the Pan American Games
  • Leadership Team and Staff Parish Committee, Bethel United Methodist Church (Indianapolis)
  • Former Contract Adviser, NFL and NBA Player Associations
  • Former Faculty, National Business Institute

Past Employment Positions

  • Member of numerous law firms
  • Host of several radio and television shows
  • Voice talent for nationally syndicated broadcasts
  • Author of numerous publications
  • Board chairman, Indiana State Gaming Commission
  • Board chairman, Crown Hill Board of Managers
  • Board member, Crown Hill Foundation
  • Board chairman, Indianapolis English Foundation
  • Advisory board member, Women’s Fund
  • Board member, Indianapolis Foundation (Impact Board)
  • Board member, Indianapolis Water Company (now Citizen’s Energy Group)
  • Board member, Indianapolis Indians
  • Board member, Indiana Professional Management Group, E.S.O.P.
  • Board member, American States Insurance (now Safeco Insurance)
  • Board member, Visit Indy and it’s Tourism of Tomorrow board
  • Board member, Indianapolis Bond Bank
  • Founder, Play Ball Indiana which is now RBI
  • Search committee appointee, RBI (Reviving Baseball Indiana— division of Major League
  • Baseball)
  • Past president and interim director, Big Brothers of Central Indiana
  • Secretary, IHSAA Foundation (Indiana High School Athletic Association)

Pro Bono Activities

  • President and CEO of Grand Slam
  • Co-founder, Play Ball Indiana
  • Contract Advisor, NFL and NBA Players Association
  • Board Member, Indianapolis Indians Baseball Club
  • Radio show, "Playing for Keeps" on ESPN950
  • President and Interim Director, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Indiana
  • General Counsel, Pan American Games
  • Vice President, Indiana Sports Corporation
  • Vice Chair, Indianapolis Foundation