New Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan’s first front office move was to hire a new general counsel.
Khan promoted Senior Vice President of Digital Media and Assistant General Counsel Sashi Brown to general counsel for the team Monday after the departure of Paul Vance, general counsel for the Jaguars since the team’s inception.
During an interview Jan. 4, Khan said that he had a good idea about the direction of the franchise and that moves would be made in the front office “in the coming days.”
The first of those moves was the promotion of Brown.
”Paul has been part of the Jaguars franchise since its inception and his contributions will always be appreciated,” said Khan.
Khan also stated that Vance would continue to be a consultant to the organization.
Vance served as senior vice president of football operations since 2001 and general counsel since 1994. He was responsible for the Jaguars player budget, salary cap strategy, and planning and player contract negotiations.
He also oversaw team training and medical functions, team video and equipment departments and team travel and logistics.
He was credited with solving the team’s salary cap problems in 2002 by developing a plan that included offering then Pro Bowl tackle Tony Boselli and defensive tackles Gary Walker and Seth Payne to the Houston Texans in the expansion draft.
The move, along with a plan of fiscal restraint in player contracts and acquisition for the 2002 and 2003 seasons, helped the Jaguars to one of the healthiest cap levels in the NFL by 2004.
Brown, 35, arrived at the Jaguars before the 2005 season and was able to learn from Vance as he steered the organization to fiscal health. In a letter to staff, Khan talked about his confidence in Brown.
“Sashi has served the Jaguars franchise impressively as our Senior Vice President Digital Media & Assistant General Counsel, and everyone who knows Sashi is well aware of his passion for the NFL, the Jaguars and the Jacksonville community,” wrote Khan.
“Sashi will report directly to me and I am counting on him to play a significant role in this new beginning for the Jacksonville Jaguars,” said Khan.
Former owner Wayne Weaver also had confidence in Brown. He promoted the assistant general counsel to senior vice president in July 2011.
Brown earned his undergraduate degree in 1998 from Hampton University and juris doctorate in 2002 from Harvard Law School. Before joining the Jaguars, Brown was in private practice at the Washington, D.C., firm of Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale and Dorr where he was a member of the firm’s corporate law practice group.
Vance also offered high praise for Brown when asked about his assistant’s ability two years ago.
“Sashi is extremely careful and dedicated to what he does and has exhibited very good judgment,” said Vance.
“He has been thrown into a lot of situations and has done a good job. From an early point of his time here, he has gained the trust of not only myself, but most of the staff here,” Vance said.
Brown is a native of Boston and currently resides in Jacksonville with his wife, Paige. He is active in the community and serves as a member of the board and chairman of the Section 8 Subcommittee to the Jacksonville Housing Authority.
Brown also serves as an ambassador of the MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation.
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