Office Functions

Welcome to the Office of the General Counsel

View a list of attorney responsibilities

The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) serves as the legal representative of the university and is also available to provide legal advice and guidance on university-related matters to employees and departments at all campuses. This aligns with the OGC mission to advance the universityâ€™s strategic goals while preserving the legal, ethical and financial integrity of the institution.

Willis Walker, the General Counsel, is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the office and ensuring that the university remains in legal compliance with numerous state and federal laws and regulations. The attorneys and staff in the office provide many services, including:

Assist departments with the administration and negotiation of all third-party contracts;
Provide notary services for university documents;
Coordinate all public records requests for the Kent and Regional Campuses;
Assist in the development of university policy, as well as department-specific regulations;
Provide advice on patent, copyright and technology-transfer information;
Assist international employees with the permanent residency process; and
Provide training in regulatory compliance and guidance when new laws go into effect.

Each attorney has several primary areas of responsibility. View the list of attorney responsibilities to know who to contact if a legal issue arises as part of your job at Kent State. If you are not sure who to contact, call the office at 330-672-2982 or send your legal inquiries to legal@kent.edu.

Communications regarding legal matters with the the General Counsel attorneys on behalf of Kent State University are ordinarily protected by attorney-client privilege and are confidential. The GC office is not allowed to provide personal legal advice but can provide referrals if needed. Communications to our office through e-mail are not necessarily secure and hence their confidentiality cannot be guaranteed.