About Us

The General Counsel is the chief legal officer of the Board of Regents and the university. Responsibilities, duties and powers are set out in Regents' Policy P02.02.03 (see below), and include supervision and administration of legal affairs of the university, provision of legal service to the board and university, direction of litigation and retention of all legal counsel on behalf of the board and the university. We provide support to System Office and individual campuses as they attempt to understand the interface between federal, state and local legal requirements or limitations and the university mission.

The legal issues that arise in the university setting are unique and require a constant monitoring of changes to state and federal law in addition to changes in university policy and regulation.  The System Office and campuses rely heavily on the General Counsel's office to help university administrators act in compliance with increasingly complex laws governing copyright, electronic discovery, immigration, labor relations, student privacy and almost every aspect of the university. The department is involved in compliance, control and service functions.

Students seeking personal legal advice should consult their campus student government to see if legal consultations are available.

Staff or faculty seeking personal legal advice should consult their Human Resources department to see if legal consultation services are offered as an employee benefit.

P.02.02.030 General Counsel

There is created the position of general counsel who will be appointed by and report to the president and will serve as the chief legal officer of the board and the university. The general counsel shall:

  1. supervise and administer the legal affairs of the board and university, which will include the provision of legal service to the board and university, direction of administrative agency and judicial matters involving the board and the university, and the retention of all legal counsel on behalf of the board and the university; and
  2. perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the board or president

(09-27-96)