Seton Hall University has hired a Newark law firm to independently investigate sex abuse allegations that may have involved some of the Catholic university's seminarians, the school's president said.

Christine Amalfe, an attorney at the law firm Gibbons P.C., will oversee the independent review of incidents involving seminarians at Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology and the College Seminary at Saint Andrew's Hall on the South Orange campus, school officials said.

"Among the many disgraceful incidents that have shaken our collective consciousness, we at the university are particularly concerned with recent accusations against Theodore McCarrick, the former Archbishop of Newark, and other priests of the archdiocese," Mary Meehan, Seton Hall's interim president, said Wednesday in a letter to the university community.

The probe will be conducted by attorney Ted Wells. He previously led the National Football League's "Deflategate" investigation into the New England Patriots and quarterback Tom Brady and has represented several high-profile clients in criminal cases, including former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer.

Meehan did not provide any details about the number or nature of the allegations the law firm will be investigating.

A report by the Catholic News Agency published last week detailed alleged sexual misconduct by some priests in the Archdiocese of Newark, including a priest who was allegedly removed after he hid a camera in the room of a young priest at the College Seminary at Saint Andrew's Hall.

Cardinal Joseph Tobin, head of the Archdiocese of Newark, "is aware of and approves of the decision" to launch the investigation at Seton Hall, said James Goodness, Tobin's spokesman.

McCarrick, the former head of the Archdiocese of Newark and the Diocese of Metuchen, resigned as a cardinal in July after he was accused of sexually abusing at least two boys decades ago.

The former cardinal was also accused of sexual misconduct with priests and seminarians during his time in New Jersey, including inviting young priests-in-training to his beach house in Sea Girt, where they were expected to share his bed.

After McCarrick was removed from ministry, the Archdiocese of Newark and the Diocese of Metuchen revealed he had been accused of sexual misconduct three times in the past with adults. Two of those complaints, both involving former priests, reportedly resulted in financial settlements totaling $180,000.

McCarrick, who is living in a retirement home in the Archdiocese of Washington, has not commented since his resignation. Pope Francis has ordered him to live a life of penance and prayer until a church trial on allegations he sexually abused an altar boy in New York nearly 50 years ago.

During his time in New Jersey, McCarrick was a frequent presence on the Seton Hall campus, where he was president of the board of trustees while he served as Archbishop of Newark.

Meehan's letter provided phone numbers where victims can report or get counseling for sexual harassment or abuse of any kind.

"These are difficult days for all victims of abuse, and for our church," Meehan wrote.

Seton Hall's investigation follows Tobin's announcement earlier this month that the Archdiocese of Newark will hire an outside firm to audit past sexual abuse cases and personnel files.

Once that audit is completed, the archdiocese will decide whether it will release names of those accused, an archdiocese spokesman said.

The Diocese of Metuchen also announced it will review its procedures for how priests and seminarians can report allegations of abuse by fellow priests without worrying about retaliation within the church.

"I have begun to bring together a senior team of advisors to examine reporting processes. Clearly, the safety of an independent reporting structure that allows for anyone to bring an allegation forward without the fear of retribution of any kind is needed," Metuchen Bishop James Checchio said in a letter to the diocese earlier this month.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook.