Vice President and General Counsel

Dear Colleagues,

I write to share that Robert N. Hochman will become the next vice president and general counsel for the University of Chicago, effective June 16. Heading the broad range of in-house legal services provided by the Office of Legal Counsel and working closely with the provost, academic and administrative senior leadership, and me, he will be responsible for leading the vision and execution of the University’s overall legal strategy. He will report to me and will serve as a key strategic advisor to me on important institutional matters.

Rob comes to the University from Sidley Austin LLP, where he has been a partner since 2005, having been an associate there previously. There he served as co-head of the firm’s industry-leading Supreme Court, appellate, and strategic litigation practice. Throughout his career, Rob has brought a creative and collaborative approach to helping his clients, which have ranged from leading Fortune 500 companies to death row inmates. Clients have turned to him to brief and argue a wide array of legal issues in appellate courts across the country, including the US Supreme Court. With his considerable skill set and long record of helping clients solve their most challenging problems, I am confident he will be a capable advocate for this institution and its values.

Rob has lectured for several terms both here on campus at the University of Chicago Law School and at Northwestern University. Early in his career, he was a law clerk to federal Judge Richard Posner and Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer. He holds a BA in Political Philosophy from Carleton College and a JD from our very own University of Chicago Law School, where he graduated with highest honors. We are delighted to welcome him back for this next chapter of his career. 

As we look ahead to Rob’s arrival, join me in expressing gratitude to Elizabeth Shanin for her strong interim leadership throughout what has been a particularly demanding period for higher education. Liz is a significant asset to the University, and I am pleased to announce that she will step into the role of associate vice president and deputy general counsel to continue her excellent work developing strategic legal approaches that ensure that we can continue the important work of advancing human understanding through the free, open, and rigorous inquiry that is the hallmark of our institution. 

Ours is a vital institution that is in service to society in a multitude of ways. Rob will be leading a remarkable Office of Legal Counsel team that consistently brings great care and expertise to ensuring that our goals of service are met with integrity and in an effective manner. We are all fortunate to benefit from their efforts. I know Rob is thrilled to be joining them.

Sincerely,
Paul

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Paul Alivisatos
President