Here’s how much KU has been billed by lawyers while defending itself in Beaty lawsuit
Kansas Athletics has been billed at least $473,730.04 — so far — on outside legal services while defending itself against a lawsuit from former football coach David Beaty.
Those invoices, received by The Star on Thursday following an open records request, show the amount billed by Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP to KU between Oct. 1, 2019 and April 30, 2020.
KU Athletics and Beaty settled the lawsuit on Friday, with the athletic department agreeing to pay the former coach $2.55 million. Beaty originally sued KU for $3 million, which was the amount of the original buyout in his contract.
Here is the monthly breakdown of charges sent by Bryan Cave to KU:
• October 2019 services: $30,358.35
• November 2019: $44,106.25
• December 2019: $67,790.45
• January 2020: $57,006.87
• February 2020: $149,946.57
• March 2020: $53,141.15
• April 2020: $71,380.40
Though KU did not attach a Bryan Cave bill for May’s services as part of the records request, a “balance outstanding” line indicated that the school still owed $81,058.55 from an invoice that was dated June 8, 2020. If accurate, that would make KU’s total $554,788.59, not including any Bryan Cave billing from June.
Bryan Cave lawyer Perry Brandt charged KU between $730 and $760 per hour for his services, though receipts show that the athletic department also received an overall 10% discount from the firm.
The actual settlement between KU and Beaty — that document also was released by the school on Thursday — gave more particulars on the payout. Of the $2.55 million, $357,000 will be paid to compensate Beaty for wages, while the rest of the $2.193 million will be given as damages. The money, per the agreement, is set to be wired to Beaty within seven days of KU receiving his bank account information.
Friday’s settlement came 15 months after Beaty first filed his lawsuit, where he alleged that KU Athletics sought to concoct a reason to fire him for cause to avoid his buyout.
KU athletic director Jeff Long originally fired Beaty in November 2018, initially promising the coach $3 million due to him under his contract. The payment was later withheld after KU Athletics reclassified Beaty’s firing as for cause after an investigation alleged one of Beaty’s non-coaching staffers engaged in impermissible coaching activities outside of NCAA rules.
