The University announced Mark Merritt has been named Vice Chancellor and General Counsel for the University. His position will be effective on September 6.
According to a University news release on May 11, Merritt will function as the University’s chief legal officer.
Merritt is currently a partner at Robinson Bradshaw, a Charlotte-based law firm.
Merritt is replacing David Parker, who was interim General Counsel for the University since January 2015. It was announced at the Board of Trustees meeting in March that Parker was retiring from his interim position. The Board of Trustees has been looking to fill this position permanently since Leslie Strohm left the permanent position in January 2015.
The University has faced pressure after student-athlete lawsuits were filed after the Wainstein report and an admissions lawsuit alleging the University unfairly used race as a deciding factor.
The University has previously paid lawyers working on UNC cases $990 per hour.
