NFL

Tom Brady enlists labour lawyer Jeffrey Kessler for appeal

Noted labour attorney Jeffrey Kessler will aid in the NFL players' union's planned appeal of Tom Brady's suspension. He has until 5 p.m. ET on Thursday to file the appeal.

Patriots quarterback has until 5 p.m. ET Thursday to file

New England quarterback Tom Brady is enlisting the aid of noted labour lawyer Jeffrey Kessler in filing an appeal on his four-game suspension. (Charles Krupa/The Associated Press)

Noted labour attorney Jeffrey Kessler will aid in the players' union planned appeal of Tom Brady's suspension.

The New England Patriots quarterback was suspended by the NFL for the first four games of the 2015 season for his role in the deflating of footballs. He has until 5 p.m. ET on Thursday to file the appeal. His lawyer, Don Yee, and the union have said they will appeal.

Kessler has litigated some of the most famous sports antitrust cases, including working for a variety of player unions. He was instrumental in getting NFL free agency established and had a key role in helping end the league's lockout of the players in 2011.

Along with Brady's suspension, the NFL fined the Patriots $1 million US Monday and stripped them of a 2016 first-round draft choice and a 2017 fourth-rounder.