N.F.L. Hires Attorneys for Suit Against Players

The National Football League geared up for its antitrust battle against players Saturday by hiring two prominent attorneys for its legal team.

David Boies, who represented Al Gorein the Bush vs. Gore case following the 2000 election, and who last year won a $1.3 billion copyright infringement verdict for Oracle, will represent the N.F.L. in the suit brought by players against the league after the dissolution of the players union Friday. He is considered one of the country’s leading trial lawyers.

Also joining Gregg Levy, the longtime outside counsel for the N.F.L., will be Paul Clement, who served for three years as the U. S. Solicitor General for President George W. Bushand who has argued more than 50 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Hearings in the injunction players are seeking to lift the lockout planned by team owners could begin as early as next week.