News & Insights

Brandon Essig Quoted in Campus Legal Advisor Article About Criminal Law and College Sports

October 3, 2018

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (October 4, 2018) — Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC partner Brandon K. Essig was quoted in a recent article in Campus Legal Advisor, a monthly publication that features the latest legal developments and innovative practices for every aspect of higher education administration and campus life.

The article, titled “Beware growing intersection of criminal law, college sports,” appeared in the journal’s September 2018 issue (subscription required). In the Q&A, Essig outlines, among other things, red flags that coaches and administrators should look out for and how college athletic departments can prevent and manage investigations.

“The possibility now exists that essentially any violation of NCAA rules that involves the exchange of money to facilitate the violation has the potential of becoming the basis of a criminal charge,” Essig said in the story. “Even the possibility of a criminal investigation presents the potential for very unique and tricky risk management considerations for athletics directors, general counsels, and administrators.”

Essig is a member of the firm’s White Collar Criminal Defense and Corporate Investigations and NCAA Compliance and Investigations practice groups. He is a seasoned trial attorney, having tried dozens of cases between his time at Lightfoot and as a former Assistant United States Attorney. Essig has represented colleges, universities and individual coaches in NCAA and Title IX investigations, and he is also a former college student-athlete.