VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL

Marquette University is a dynamic Catholic, Jesuit university and the largest private college in Wisconsin. Since 1881, Marquette has been an innovator in educating students to “Be the Difference” in their lives and for the greater good of all humankind.  

The University’s 8,400 undergraduate and 3,200 graduate students hail from almost every state in the U.S. and from more than 80 countries. Of the almost 2,000 students who matriculated in the class of 2023, 29 percent are students of color, 56 percent are women, 24 percent are first-generation students, and 92 percent live on campus. 

Because Marquette students are encouraged to “Be the Difference,” their education -- both within and outside the classroom -- is guided by the Jesuit values and traditions, including cura personalis or “care for the whole person,” with a focus on the holistic development of each individual through their co-curricular experience. The University hosts fourteen NCAA-Division 1 athletic teams that compete in the Big East conference.

Reporting to the president of Marquette University, the Vice President and General Counsel (“VP-GC”) serves as a valued member of the senior leadership team and a trusted advisor who effectively partners with a broad range of constituents on a wide variety of complex and strategic legal issues. As the University’s chief legal officer, the VP-GC provides the vision for and leadership of the University’s legal strategy in alignment with and in support of its mission and strategic plan.

The VP-GC anticipates and identifies a broad array of legal and operational issues and risks and provides advice and thought leadership to the President, the Board of Trustees, and other members of the University community. An expert strategist, relationship builder, and people leader, the VP-GC effectively partners with internal and external constituencies in a rapidly changing environment, demonstrating creative problem solving, composure, and resiliency.

The successful candidate for will be an experienced and accomplished attorney and leader with a high level of enthusiasm, intelligence, collegiality, political savvy, and drive necessary to achieve ambitious University-wide goals. The VP-GC will hold a JD degree from an accredited law school and must either be licensed to practice in Wisconsin or eligible to apply for admission to the Wisconsin Bar and successfully be admitted within 12 months of employment. In addition, strong candidates will have: a track record of increasingly responsible positions of leadership, preferably as legal counsel in a higher education institution or in a law firm practice specializing in the representation of institutions of higher education; a demonstrated track record as a trusted advisor and counselor to top organizational leadership and a governing board across multiple dimensions and in a wide variety of circumstances; and knowledge of and experience with many of the  major areas of law and issues affecting nonprofit organizations and/or religiously-affiliated higher education institutions. Superior communication skills are required along with the ability to articulate a compelling message to diverse audiences, clarity in complex topics, crispness, and exceptional listening skills. The VP-GC will have a track record reflecting the highest personal and professional integrity and unquestioned discretion in maintaining confidentiality.

Nominations, inquiries, and expressions of interest for the VP-GC position should be directed to:

MarquetteGC@russellreynolds.com.

Marquette University affirms its longstanding commitment to the principle of equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, disability, veteran’s status or national origin. Marquette affirms its commitment to the principle of affirmative action and its commitment to abide by state regulations and federal laws pertaining to equal employment opportunity.