Office of the General Counsel

The Vice President and General Counsel, Richard A. Zansitis, is the chief legal officer for the university and its Board of Trustees. The office functions as Rice's chief legal representative and provides legal advice and assistance to the university, faculty and staff in order to facilitate the mission of Rice University and the conduct of Rice’s business affairs. The office also retains and oversees all outside counsel for the University.

Although all of our attorneys are available to assist faculty and staff, each of the attorneys in the office spends much of his or her time on certain areas of specialization. The Areas of Practice page provides a list of some of the most common subject matter areas addressed by the office and the attorneys who can serve as an initial contact for campus clients in these areas.

This office does not provide legal representation or advice on personal matters.