LaKeisha C. Marsh

LaKeisha Marsh chairs Akerman’s Higher Education and Collegiate Athletics Practice. She represents colleges, universities and related institutions on regulatory compliance, accreditation, state licensure and institutional governance, as well as collegiate athletics and NCAA matters. Her work for educational institutions also encompasses transactions, restructurings, financing and corporate governance.

LaKeisha regularly advises on participation in Title IV federal student aid programs, drawing on her working knowledge of the laws, regulations and informal guidance that govern those programs. Her counsel also addresses Title IX compliance, including complaints and investigations; student discipline and accommodations; FERPA; and the Clery Act. She has managed student litigation, represented an institution in dealings with the U.S. Department of Education, and handled federal and state cases. For higher education clients, she also assists with obtaining federal funds and developing policies and procedures for their use and distribution.

Collegiate athletics is another focus of LaKeisha’s practice. A former member of the NCAA’s Academic and Membership Affairs staff, formerly Membership Services, she has firsthand knowledge of NCAA bylaws and rules governing Division I, II and III athletics. Her experience includes NCAA certification, compliance reviews, infractions and appeals, student-athlete eligibility and waivers, and Title IX and gender equality matters. She advises on name, image and likeness issues and frequently speaks on higher education topics, including sexual misconduct and student-athletes, collegiate athletics and transgender issues.

LaKeisha also chairs Akerman’s Government Strategies Practice Group, leading a team that provides counsel on policy and regulatory issues in the United States. She advocates for clients before federal, state and local governments and agencies, and advises national clients on legislation. Her work includes Small Business Administration matters involving PPP applications, eligibility, affiliation, good-faith certification and caps for corporate organizations. Earlier in her career, she was an executive at an entrepreneurial not-for-profit educational system, where she managed a legal department responsible for corporate governance, compliance, transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and litigation management.

• J.D., Loyola University Chicago School of Law, 2005
• B.A., Clark Atlanta University, Political Science, 2000

Bars

• Illinois

Courts

• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois

• Lawdragon 500, 2025, Listed as One of the Leading Global Entertainment, Sports & Media Lawyers for Litigation - Collegiate Athletics, Sports, Entertainment
• The Best Lawyers in America, 2023-2024, Listed in Illinois for Government Relations Practice
• Crain’s Chicago Business, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2024, 2026, Listed as one of “Chicago’s Notable Women in Law”
• Corporate Counsel, 2024, Women, Influence and Power in Law Awards, Recognized for “Ally of the Year”
• Law Bulletin Media & Chicago Lawyer Magazine, 2024, “Top Women In Law,” Honoree
• National Law Journal, 2022, Listed as one of the “Sports/Gaming/Entertainment Law Trailblazers”
• Corporate Counsel, 2022, Women, Influence and Power in Law Awards, Recognized for “Thought Leadership”
• Savoy Magazine, 2022, Listed as one of the Country’s “Most Influential Black Lawyers” 
• Crain’s Chicago Business, 2022, Listed as one of  “Chicago’s Notable Gen X Leaders in Accounting, Consulting and Law” 
  
• Crain’s Chicago Business, 2019-2020, Listed as one of “Chicago’s Notable Minorities in Accounting, Consulting & Law” 
  
• Emerging Lawyers, 2017, Listed for School Law

• Loyola University Chicago, Board of Trustees
• Economic Club of Chicago, Member
• Girls in the Game, Board Member
• National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA), Member
• NCAA Division II Infractions Appeal Committee, Chair
• Posse Foundation, Chicago Leadership Council
• Corporate Counsel Women of Color, Member
• National Bar Association, Member
• American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)