Office of the University General Counsel

The Office of the University General Counsel provides comprehensive legal services to UNC Asheville. The Office is specifically charged to provide legal advice to the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor, the other senior staff members of the university, and through them, to the university’s faculty and staff on legal matters affecting the institution. 

As examples, the Office of the University General Counsel gives advice on the legal implications of proposed policies and actions and on compliance with state and federal laws and regulations and UNC policies. The Office drafts, reviews and negotiates university contracts and other legal documents. The Office also advises on various issues including due process matters, campus security, NCAA rules, equal employment and personnel laws, OSHA compliance, open meetings laws, Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act, etc.

The Office of the University General Counsel is available to provide educational services, including training programs on legal and policy matters, for any university constituency.

The Office of the University General Counsel is responsible for assisting in the selection, engagement, and supervision of any outside counsel needed by the institution for highly specialized matters such as obtaining and prosecuting patents, bond issuances and complex tax matters. The Office coordinates and works closely with the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office on litigation by or against the university.

The Office of the University General Counsel is not able to provide legal assistance to students, nor can it advise staff and faculty about their personal legal matters, but may provide general information about the legal system and referrals to legal aid resources such as Pisgah Legal Services and the Asheville Office of North Carolina Legal Aid.

All work done by the Office of the University General Counsel is done in a professional, collegial and timely manner with a view toward ensuring that the university fulfills its mission and achieves its goals.

View UNC Asheville's Policies.