UPDATED: Jan. 13 at 1:42 p.m.

Syracuse University alumnus C. James Zeszutek is defending SU men’s basketball head coach Jim Boeheim in a defamation lawsuit filed by two former ball boys against the coach and the university, according to a Jan. 11 article published in The Post-Standard.

Zeszutek, a managing partner in Dinsmore & Shohl LLP in Pittsburgh, will be Boeheim’s primary lawyer in the lawsuit filed by Bobby Davis and Mike Lang, who accused former associate men’s basketball coach Bernie Fine of molesting them years ago, according to the article.

Davis and Lang claim Boeheim falsely and publicly accused them of lying about the molestation, and they are suing him and the university for defamation. Boeheim later apologized for these comments.

Fine, who was fired from SU on Nov. 27, has denied the allegations and has not been charged. Two other men have also accused Fine of molesting them as children. Federal agents and the Syracuse Police Department continue to investigate.

Boeheim could not be reached for comment.

Zeszutek graduated from SU in 1972. He received a law degree from the university in 1975 and a master’s degree in public administration in 1976. He remains active with the university. In 2002, he was appointed to its Department of Intercollegiate Athletics’ athletic advisory board because he was a wrestler while he was a student, according to the article.

In 2010, he was elected to the Board of Advisors of SU’s College of Law. During his three-year term, he is expected to promote the capital campaign for the new law school building. He continues to serve as a member of the athletic department’s Board of Directors, according to Dinsmore & Shohl’s website.

Zeszutek is recognized for being heavily involved in Dinsmore & Shohl’s entertainment, media and sports department. He is actively involved in an NCAA practice in which he defends coaches in hearings before the Committee on Infractions against allegations involving violations of NCAA bylaw. He has been involved in at least five hearings regarding SU, Purdue University and Ohio State University, among others. He also negotiates employment contracts for athletic physicians and coaches, according to the website.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, a law firm based in New York City, is representing SU in the lawsuit. .

‘We can confirm that we are representing Syracuse University in the defamation lawsuit,’ said Suzanne Elio, Debevoise & Plimpton’s media relations manager, in an email.

She had no further comment regarding the decision.

Debevoise & Plimpton ‘remains committed to providing the finest legal services to the highest quality clientele and to fulfilling the duty of public service,’ according to its website.

‘Debevoise was selected because they are a leading law firm with relevant experience,’ said Kevin Quinn, senior vice president for public affairs at SU, in an email.

Quinn said he is not aware of any connections or history between SU and the firm. However, two SU alumni currently work for the firm: Robert Shwartz, who graduated in 1972, and Aaron Tidman, who graduated from the College of Law in 2007.

meltagou@syr.edu

Published on January 11, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Marwa: meltagou@syr.edu | @marwaeltagouri