Vice President, Legal Affairs and General Counsel

As an executive officer of the university, provides overall leadership and strategic direction for an assigned division or unit and serves a member of the president’s cabinet and senior leadership team. Represents the university and advises the president and board of trustees on matters within the assigned area, ensuring alignment with institutional strategy and priorities. Serves as the chief legal advisor to Youngstown State University, its president, board of trustees, and university officers and administrators; responsible to the president for the direction, management, and supervision of all legal matters of the university, including the provision of legal counsel, advice, and services in all matters pertaining to the practice of law on behalf of Youngstown State University and such other matters as from time to time may be assigned by the president.

Serves the board of trustees as its client and works with and through management employees at the university. The general counsel is appointed as an assistant attorney general working closely with the chief of the education section of the attorney general’s office. The general counsel is chosen jointly by the attorney general and the YSU Board of Trustees and serves at the pleasure of both. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the attorney general of Ohio and Youngstown State University regarding the provision of legal services to the university provides additional guidance on the structure of the provision of legal services by the general counsel working through both the attorney general and the YSU Board of Trustees.