Renewed partnership supports Tar Heel student-athletes across all sports as the firm marks more than three decades of Standing Up for North Carolina communities
GREENSBORO, N.C. — CR Legal Team has announced the renewal of its partnership with Carolina Athletics, continuing the firm’s support of student-athletes across the University of North Carolina’s entire athletic program for the 2026-27 season, with a featured presence throughout the Carolina men’s and women’s basketball seasons.
The partnership reflects a shared belief that health, wellness, and strong Teams are worth investing in, on the court, in the classroom, and throughout the communities both organizations call home.
“There’s a reason the word ‘Team’ is in our name,” said Christopher Roberts, Chief Executive Officer of CR Legal Team. “Nothing meaningful gets built alone. Our attorneys, case managers, and support staff work as one unit for every client who walks through our doors and that’s exactly what we recognize in Carolina Athletics. We are proud to Stand alongside every Tar Heel who shows up for their teammates every day.”
“We are excited to extend our longstanding partnership with CR Legal Team and Chris Roberts, a proud Carolina alumnus and a North Carolina based law firm,” said Rick Barakat, Carolina Athletics Deputy Athletic Director and Chief Revenue Officer.
Founded in 1989, CR Legal Team has spent more than 35 years serving injured individuals and families across North Carolina, with additional offices across the Southeast. That history of local commitment is a natural fit with a partnership rooted in Chapel Hill.
“We’ve been Standing Up for our Carolina community for almost four decades,” said Lauren Watson Roberts, Chief Marketing Officer of CR Legal Team. “Partnering with Carolina Athletics allows us to support young people who are pushing themselves, representing our beautiful state, and building something together.”
A shared commitment to health and wellness
CR Legal Team’s approach to client service, which the firm calls Whole-Person Legal Care™, extends beyond the legal case itself to address the physical, emotional, and financial recovery that follows a serious injury. That same philosophy shapes the firm’s community work.
Through The Roberts Center for Leadership, Education, Advancement and Development, CR Legal Team supports wellness, safety, and innovation through car seat fittings, and bicycle safety education. Additionally, the firm invests directly in local students through its scholarship program, including the Beverly Babson Sanders Building Healthier Communities Scholarship and the CR Legal Team Law In Action Scholarship.
“Student-athletes carry a demanding load academically, physically, and mentally,” Christopher Roberts added. “The wellness resources and support systems that Carolina Athletics provides are exactly the kind of investment we believe in.”
Tipping off the season
The renewed partnership, facilitated by Learfield’s Tar Heel Sports Properties, arrives at the start of a new era for Carolina Basketball. CR Legal Team joins Tar Heel fans in welcoming Michael Malone, who begins his first season as head coach of the Carolina men’s basketball program.
CR Legal Team is excited to support both the men’s and women’s teams, and fans can expect to see the firm’s in-venue signage at the Dean E. Smith Center and Carmichael Arena throughout the basketball season.
Fans can learn more about CR Legal Team’s community impact at CRLegalTeam.com.
About CR Legal Team
Formerly Crumley Roberts, CR Legal Team is a 37-year-old injury law firm with offices, partnerships, and affiliations throughout the United States. Led by Majority Partner and Chief Executive Officer Chris Roberts, along with a Team of Executive Vice Presidents and other personal injury attorneys, the law firm remains committed to STANDING UP for its clients, for its communities, and for its own Team Members through legal practice groups and through community and employee programs offered by The Roberts Center for Leadership, Education, Advancement and Development. Please visit CRLegalTeam.com for more information regarding the law firm, its legal practice areas and its community programs as well as for Media Inquiries.
About Carolina Athletics
The University of North Carolina, the nation’s first public university, offers 28 intercollegiate varsity sports and is a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tar Heels have won 63 national championships and a total of 300 ACC Championships. UNC finished fourth in the Learfield Directors’ Cup in 2025-26, claiming the department’s seventh-straight top-10 finish. The department’s mission: to educate and inspire through athletics.
About Learfield
Learfield is the leading media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield’s presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors’ Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.
