Penn State's new lawyer, possible delay in civil lawsuit

(State College) -- Penn State is confirming it has hired the man who ran the Sept. 11 victim fund and other major victim compensation efforts as it tries to settle personal injury claims related to former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky's molestation.

The university on Thursday announced it had retained the Washington, D.C., law firm led by Ken Feinberg for what it is describing as a concentrated facilitation effort to resolve all litigation, including claims that have not been filed, by the end of the year.

Feinberg has also helped resolve claims from the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

At least four lawsuits are in the works against Penn State over Sandusky, who's scheduled to be sentenced next month on 45 counts for sexually abusing 10 boys.

The school has also asked a judge to delay a civil lawsuit filed by the young man whose allegations of sexual abuse triggered the criminal investigation into Sandusky.

A school spokesman told the Centre Daily Times on Wednesday that the move was purely procedural, and had nothing to do with Penn State's commitment to resolving the claims of the man known in court documents as Victim 1 or any other men whom Sandusky was convicted of abusing as boys.

The Victim 1 complaint in Philadelphia state court makes allegations against two former school administrators awaiting trial on charges of perjury and failing to report abuse allegations.

The school requested the delay last week, saying the pending trial and ongoing criminal investigation could prejudice the civil case.