Thomas R. Bearrows

University Counsel

As University Counsel, Tom is a general officer of the Board of Trustees and the University and serves as the legal advisor to the Board of Trustees, the President, and other University administrative officers. He has a dual report to the Board of Trustees and to the President. Tom is responsible for the management of the legal offices on the University’s three campuses and divides his time among them. In addition, Tom serves as Legal Counsel to the Alumni Association. His staff includes a Deputy University Counsel and three Campus Counsels (listed below), as well as University attorneys and Legal Fellows. Their practice areas include specializations such as labor and employment, intellectual property, and health care law, as well as more general areas, including contracts, litigation, and real estate. Before coming to the University in 1997, Tom practiced for thirteen years as a commercial litigator at a Chicago law firm. He received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Illinois and a Master’s of Public Policy degree from Harvard University in 1984.