University of Michigan Vice President and General Counsel Timothy G. Lynch will depart the university in late August to become Vice President and General Counsel at Stanford University. Lynch will begin his new role at Stanford on August 31.
University of Michigan President Domenico Grasso has appointed Patty Petrowski, Associate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, to serve as Vice President and General Counsel for a two-year term effective August 26, pending regental approval.
Lynch has spent more than 13 years advising University of Michigan presidents, regents, and senior leaders on major legal and policy matters. His work has covered research, governance, compliance, athletics, academic medicine, federal issues, and student, faculty, and staff affairs.
In addition to serving as general counsel, Lynch has been an adjunct professor at the University of Michigan Law School. He also served on the board of directors for the University Musical Society, served on the Executive Committee of the Wallenberg Institute, and chaired the Advisory Committee on the University of Michigan Principles on Diversity of Thought and Freedom of Expression.
Before joining Michigan, Lynch served as acting general counsel and deputy general counsel for litigation and enforcement at the U.S. Department of Energy. He also previously served as an assistant United States attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, where he was a senior prosecutor in the fraud and public corruption section.
Petrowski has been a key member of the Office of the General Counsel’s leadership team since 2014. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and has advised university leaders on legal and policy matters involving Title IX, Title VI, research security, and other institutional issues.
Before joining the University of Michigan, Petrowski was a partner in the Chicago office of Sidley Austin. In that role, she represented major research universities, academic medical centers, and other clients in complex litigation matters.
Petrowski also recently concluded a term on the board of directors of the National Association of College and University Attorneys. Grasso said she has earned trust across the university and the higher education legal community and is well-positioned to lead the Office of the General Counsel through the transition.
KEY QUOTES:
“Tim’s impact on the University of Michigan has been profound. For 13 years he served our institution and community with integrity, wisdom and an unwavering commitment to justice and fairness. He has guided and protected the university through an increasingly complex landscape while building an outstanding legal team that plays an integral role in our success. On a personal level, I am deeply sorry to see him leave. He has been one of my most trusted advisors, a valued colleague, and a true friend.”
Domenico Grasso, President of the University of Michigan
“On behalf of the Board of Regents, I want to thank Tim for his exceptional service to the University of Michigan over the past 13 years. His deep legal expertise, professionalism, and steady leadership have helped guide the university through some of its most consequential moments at a particularly challenging time for higher education. We are deeply grateful for his many contributions to Michigan and wish him continued success at Stanford.”
Michael J. Behm, Chair of the University of Michigan Board of Regents
“It has been an extraordinary privilege to serve the University of Michigan. Michigan’s staff, students, faculty, leaders, and alumni are inspiring, and I am deeply grateful for the colleagues and friends who have made these past 13 years so meaningful. I leave knowing that the university is in exceptionally capable hands and with great confidence that the extraordinarily talented team in the Office of the General Counsel will continue carrying forward the momentum we have all built together.”
Timothy G. Lynch, Vice President and General Counsel of the University of Michigan
“I am deeply appreciative of President Grasso’s confidence in me and grateful for the opportunity to serve the university in this expanded role. I also want to thank Tim Lynch for his extraordinary leadership, mentorship and friendship over the past 12 years. As a first-generation college graduate, I have experienced firsthand the transformative power of higher education. That experience motivates my commitment to advancing the University of Michigan’s mission and building on the remarkable momentum Tim and our team have created together.”
Patty Petrowski, Associate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at the University of Michigan
“Patty is an exceptional attorney and accomplished leader, and she is the ideal person to succeed Tim. She brings the judgment, experience, and leadership necessary to step into this critical role seamlessly. I have every confidence that she will continue the tradition of outstanding legal counsel and strategic guidance that has served the university so well, and I look forward to working closely with her in the months ahead.”
Domenico Grasso, President of the University of Michigan
