Jackson Lewis P.C., one of the largest workplace law firms in the world representing management, has announced that renowned sports law practitioner Gene Marsh has joined the firm’s Birmingham office as Of Counsel. Marsh has focused on collegiate sports work since 1996, with an emphasis on NCAA compliance and enforcement matters. Over the past decade, Marsh has represented universities, coaches and student athletes in some of the most significant infractions cases to come before the NCAA.
“Gene’s addition is a boon to our Birmingham office, our Collegiate and Professional Sports Practice Group and the firm as a whole,” said Firm Chairman Vincent A. Cino. “We are extremely fortunate to have someone with his experience available to advise our clients on the best path to take when compliance issues arise in their athletic departments, and anticipate that Gene’s unique skill set will be instrumental in enhancing the way we serve our clients’ needs.”
Marsh, a Professor Emeritus at the University of Alabama’s School of Law, was the University of Alabama Faculty Athletics Representative to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and the NCAA from 1996 through 2003, where he served as Chair of the University Compliance Committee, the University Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics and the NCAA Certification Committee and Self-Study Project.
“It is truly an honor to welcome Gene – one of the nation’s preeminent authorities on NCAA compliance issues — to our expanding sports law practice,” said Paul V. Kelly, who leads the Collegiate and Professional Sports Industry Practice Group with Phoenix Managing Shareholder Gregg E. Clifton.
“Gene is well known and highly respected in the collegiate sports arena as a go-to resource for major universities, athletic directors and coaches throughout the country, and we are extremely excited to be joined by someone of his caliber,” added Clifton.
Marsh was a member of the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions from 1999 through 2008, and was named Chair of the Committee on Infractions from 2004 to 2006. He was also a member of the NCAA Business/Finance Cabinet and the NCAA Ad Hoc Committee on Financial Penalties and Forfeitures and served on an NCAA subcommittee reviewing infractions penalties. He was a member of the Working Group of the Six Major Athletic Conferences and served on the Working Group Subcommittee on Incentive Clauses in Employment Contracts. Marsh has also served on several committees for the SEC, including work on the Executive Committee, the Task Force on Compliance and Enforcement, and the Commissioner Search Advisory Committee.
Marsh has published two law review articles on NCAA investigations and the infractions process. He is a frequent speaker on college campuses in undergraduate and law school classes, as well as athletic compliance meetings. He has made presentations for NCAA regional compliance seminars, the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, the Faculty Athletics Representative Fall Forum, the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, Street and Smith’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum, the Sports Lawyers Association, the National Association of College and University Attorneys, and the National Association for Athletics Compliance.
“I am very happy to be joining Jackson Lewis, a firm whose strong ties to the professional sports industry complement my collegiate sports experience,” said Marsh. “The intersection between those two areas continues to evolve and generate important policy and regulatory issues that are a part of a major debate going on among the NCAA membership and professional sports organizations.
Marsh received his B.S. and M.S. from Ohio State University and his J.D. from Washington and Lee University.
He was previously at Lightfoot Franklin & White.
