Vice chancellor for legal affairs finalists announced

Five candidates have been chosen as finalists for the position of vice chancellor for legal affairs.

The finalists, chosen by a 14-member panel co-chaired by UW Law School Professor Mark Sidel and UW School of Education Dean Julie Underwood, will meet with campus leaders over the next two weeks.

“Recognizing the ever-growing importance of legal and policy counsel to the chancellor and the UW–Madison campus, the vice chancellor for legal affairs search committee is pleased to have invited these five candidates for intensive discussions on campus. We look forward to their meetings here,” Sidel says.

The finalists are:   

Thomas Dorer, vice president, general counsel and secretary at the University of Hartford. Dorer earned a law degree from the University of California, Berkeley.

Corey Finkelmeyer, director of the civil litigation unit, Wisconsin Department of Justice. Finkelmeyer earned a law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Judith Leonard, general counsel at the Smithsonian Institution. Leonard earned a law degree from the University of North Carolina.

Nancy Lynch, associate director of the Office of Administrative Legal Services at UW–Madison. Lynch earned a law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School. 

Raymond Taffora, partner at the law firm of Michael Best & Friedrich, Madison. Taffora earned a law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School.

The principal duties of the job include directing the legal affairs of the UW–Madison campus and serving as senior counselor to the chancellor and other top university officials.  

Job responsibilities include general oversight, strategic direction and planning, acting as a liaison with state and UW System counsel, coordination with external counsel, staff development and outreach, and other activities.

The position, most recently titled director of administrative legal services, is being reinstated to its past standing as a vice chancellor.

Lisa Rutherford previously served as director before moving to Amherst College in February. Michael Weiden is serving as interim director.