Attorney Profile

Sherrod Seward, Esq. is the principal of the Charlotte-based Extraordinary Ability Visa Practice, which is one of the most active and respected sports-focused immigration firms in the United States.

Launched in 2019, Sherrod started Sherrod Sports Visas out of a deep passion for sports, and a desire to use his law degree to advocate for athletes as they journey through demanding and convoluted pathways to procuring sports visas for international competition.

Even before he finished law school, Sherrod was already working in professional sports as the manager of a number of prominent mixed martial arts athletes. He also advised the careers of several athletes who went on to become champions in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Sherrod specializes in securing O and P visa status for his clients, which has included some of the greatest professional fighters in boxing and MMA, football, hockey, basketball players and even equestrians. He has also worked on behalf of franchises in the major sports leagues such as the NHL, NFL and NBA.

Over the years, Sherrod has provided solutions for athletes and sports professionals from countries such as Kazakhstan, Brazil, South Africa, United Kingdom, Argentina, Australia, Russia, etc. With the exception of Antarctica, he has obtained a P-1 visa on every continent.

Sherrod graduated from Cleveland-Marshall Law in Cleveland, Ohio in 2012. While there, Sherrod studied sports law under former IMG General Counsel and esteemed sports attorney, Peter Carfargna. He attended Hampton University as an undergraduate, receiving a Bachelors of Science in Marketing.

Sherrod approaches his sports immigration practice with the same tenacity he applies to anything in his life, whether it’s his love for music, mixed martial arts or anything Cleveland-based.