The University of Michigan has paid over $2 million dollars to Jenner & Block, the law firm investigating its athletic department and the circumstances surrounding former head football coach Sherrone Moore’s firing.
The total payment was added up from invoices received Friday, Feb. 20, by MLive/The Ann Arbor News from a Freedom of Information Act request. Two invoices are from January, while one is from December, records show.
According to MLive, a Dec. 3 invoice showed the university owed the law firm $61,887. A Jan. 29 invoice indicate a cost to the university of about $1.06 million, while a Jan. 31 invoice shows a cost $933,927, records show.
The two “related but distinct” investigations into Moore and the athletic department aim to “strengthen our athletics program moving forward,” UM spokesperson Paul Corliss said in a statement, as reported by MLive's Samuel Dodge.
“Conducting a thorough legal review of complex and high stakes issues at a college or university requires significant time, specialized expertise and resources,” he said.
“The University is committed to ensuring both are handled with the seriousness, independence and care they require."
Cost are reportedly expected to increase further before the investigation is completed this spring.
The investigation came after athletic director Warde Manuel fired Moore on Dec. 10 for engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a staffer, MLive's Dodge reported. Moore was arrested hours later and charged with third-degree home invasion, stalking and breaking and entering following an incident at the staffer’s residence.
Per Dodge's reporting, UM interim president Domenico Grasso acknowledged at the time the “anger and disillusionment” of the campus community and said the university aimed to underscore its commitment to maintaining an environment built on respect and integrity in stretching its assignment for Jenner & Block.
“We are continuing the investigation of Coach Moore’s actions to uncover any additional germane and material information and to assess whether there may be related misconduct by others,” Grasso said at the time. “And we will not stop there.”
While the cost of the ongoing investigation made headlines, it still hasn't risen to the level of recent legal probes involving Michigan's Big Ten Conference rivals.
"As a comparison to UM’s $2 million in legal bills so far, multiple other universities have paid outside firms to investigate athletic department issues," Dodge wrote. "Penn State paid $8 million for the Freeh report into its handling of the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal, as well as $27 million for other legal and consultant fees.
"Michigan State also paid about $19 million to outside firms to investigate the sexual abuse of gymnasts by trainer Larry Nassar."
