Krista Whitaker enters her second season as a member of the Chicago Bears in 2025. Whitaker was named the organization's Executive Vice President of Legal and Business Affairs & Chief Legal Officer on April 9, 2024.
In her role, Whitaker provides legal oversight and strategic guidance to the club and leads the organization's legal and security departments. Working closely with President and CEO Kevin Warren, Whitaker provides comprehensive legal counsel and support to the club, both in football and business operations.
Whitaker and her staff develop strategic, solution-based legal departmental operations to benefit the Chicago Bears and the organization's entities. Whitaker and her staff guide the organization through complex legal matters, ensuring alignment with the club's business objectives. Whitaker manages the club's day-to-day global legal department across all transactional, corporate, litigation, commercial, security and regulatory matters.
Prior to joining the Bears in 2024, Whitaker served as Vice President, Associate General Counsel for the Miami HEAT, providing strategic legal advice and counsel to support the organization's day-to-day operations, while also drafting and negotiating key financial sponsorship and media rights agreements, as well as naming rights agreements. Initially joining the franchise as Senior Associate Counsel, Whitaker was elevated to Vice President, Associate General Counsel prior to her second season with Miami.
Before her tenure with the HEAT, Whitaker practiced in New York City at Proskauer, a leading international law firm with a prominent sports law practice. At Proskauer, Whitaker had a broad-based corporate practice focusing on transactional, governance and general corporate matters with an emphasis on the sports, media and entertainment industries.
Whitaker has been recognized by her professional and personal achievements in the National Bar Association's 40 Under 40, the Nation's Best Advocates list, Legal 500's GC Powerlist for Miami, SBJ's New Voices Under 30 and as a Rising Star in Sports by Law360.
Whitaker also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Miami School of Law, leading and inspiring aspiring law professionals, contributing to the program's Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Program Advisory Board. Whitaker's commitment extends beyond her professional endeavors, as she actively contributes to legal education and serves her community.
A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Whitaker earned her undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University and her law degree from Stanford Law School.
