A former DLA Piper partner has been hired as the general counsel of a Major League Soccer expansion team, the organization confirmed Monday.

Eric Hagen joined Austin FC in October as the MLS team's first general counsel, a spokesperson said. Hagen said he currently is the only in-house attorney for the team, though he had been working already as its outside counsel. He said he would likely add to the legal department as the team hires more front-office employees.

In an email exchange with Corporate Counsel on Monday, Hagen said he was excited to work with a brand new team.

"It's a rare and exciting opportunity to be part of the first major league team in a city as vibrant as Austin," Hagen said. "I'm also very pleased to be working with the talented group of people here, from our growing ownership group to our front-office personnel, all focused on successfully building the club."

Austin FC is not slated to begin playing in the MLS until 2021. Hagen said in the email there is a lot to work on in the business side.

"On the business side, we're rapidly selling season ticket memberships, where there's been very high demand. We've also been busy with sponsorships and are looking forward to announcing some new major partnerships. Community engagement has also been a focus, as we work with our supporters' group, our vendors, the City, and our 4ATX Foundation," Hagen said.

Before joining the team, Hagen spent most of his career at law firms. He most recently was partner at DLA Piper, where he represented clients in sports, media and entertainment as well as those in the technology sector. At the time, he also served as outside counsel for Austin FC. Earlier, he was a partner at McDermott Will & Emery and Kirkland & Ellis. After graduating from Pepperdine University School of Law in 1997, he served as an associate at Baker McKenzie.