News & Insights

Henry Gimenez Secures Favorable Outcome for LSU’s Football and Men’s Basketball Programs

June 26, 2023

Lightfoot, Franklin and White, LLC partner Henry Gimenez secured a favorable decision on behalf of Louisiana State University (LSU) when it appeared before the NCAA’s Independent Resolution Panel (IRP) in February 2023. He was assisted by Lightfoot’s in-house NCAA specialist, Hallett Ruzic.

On June 22, 2023, the IRP found the case to be Level I-Standard, largely accepting LSU’s self-imposed sanctions and rejecting the serious charge of lack of institutional control. 

“LSU has always taken compliance with NCAA rules seriously, and the institution fully cooperated with the NCAA enforcement staff and then with members of the Complex Case Unit as part of the Independent Accountability Resolution Process,” said LSU president William F. Tate IV and director of athletics Scott Woodward in a joint statement. “We are pleased that our current men’s basketball student-athletes will not be punished for the acts of others and that the Independent Resolution Panel accepted our self-imposed penalties for football.”

Lightfoot has now successfully represented universities in half of the cases brought before the IRP, securing favorable outcomes for all of its university clients. 

Gimenez leads Lightfoot's NCAA Compliance & Investigations practice, and has been practicing collegiate sports law for 20 years. He has represented athletic programs and directors, coaches and student-athletes, including national championship contenders and Heisman Trophy winners from all corners of the NCAA membership. Gimenez handles traditional NCAA compliance issues and investigations while also helping colleges and universities with investigations relating to NIL, Title IX and student welfare issues, athletics-related employment disputes, negotiating and drafting coaching contracts, and more.