The University of Illinois has spent $843,000 defending itself in a pair of lawsuits filed by a professor who was denied a job at the school after posting anti-Israel messages on Twitter.

Invoices were obtained showing how much the school paid to two outside law firms in the Steven Salaita cases. University of Illinois spokesman Tom Hardy says the school needed to hire outside counsel in the cases.

According to reports, some of the school's legal bills were been paid for using public funds, but Hardy didn't specify an amount.

Salaita sued the University of Illinois in January after administrators withdrew a job offer that he accepted in fall 2013. He's seeking compensation and to get the job back.