Office of Legal Affairs

News and Updates

• New: Notice of Nondiscrimination under Title IX

• New:  Sarah Oettinger Edwards is the new Assistant General Counsel at UNC Charlotte, May 1, 2013

• New: First Annual Symposium on Legal Issues in Higher Education (materials available for download)

• New: Faculty Guidance on Book Buyers

Who are the attorneys in the Office of Legal Affairs?

See brief profiles on our Meet the Staff page. 

David E. Broome, General Counsel

James E. S. (Jesh) Humphrey IV , Senior Associate General Counsel

Amy S. Kelso, Senior Associate General Counsel

Jeffrey N. Jensen, Associate General Counsel

Sarah O. Edwards, Assistant General Counsel

See Contact Information below.  Meet the staff here.

What is the role of the Office of Legal Affairs?

The Office of Legal Affairs provides comprehensive legal advice and assistance to UNC Charlotte. The Office of Legal Affairs provides services on legal matters involving or affecting the institution to the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor, the other senior administrators of the University, and through them, to the University’s faculty and staff. The Office of Legal Affairs cannot advise students or employees on any personal legal matters or any matters that would conflict with the Office's obligation to UNC Charlotte.

The OLA advises the University on the legal implications of proposed policies and actions and on compliance with state and federal laws and regulations and UNC policies. The OLA drafts and reviews University contracts and other legal documents and is also available to provide educational services, including training programs on legal and policy matters, for any University constituency.

The OLA is responsible for selecting, engaging, and supervising any outside counsel engaged by the institution and coordinates all litigation conducted by the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office on behalf of the University.

All work done by the OLA is done in a professional, collegial and timely manner with a view toward ensuring that the University fulfills its mission and achieves its goals. An illustrative, but not exhaustive, see the list of legal subjects covered by the OLA.

Practice Areas of Attorneys in Office of Legal Affairs

Will the Office of Legal Affairs represent me on a personal matter? 

No. The Office of Legal Affairs cannot advise students or employees on any personal legal matters or any matters that would conflict with the Office's obligation to UNC Charlotte.  The Office of Legal Affairs provides services on legal matters involving or affecting the institution to the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor, the other senior administrators of the University, and through them, to the University’s faculty and staff. 

Does the Office of Legal Affairs provide general guidance on legal issues related to the University and higher education?

Yes. The Office of Legal Affairs' Legal Topics web page provides general guidance for members of the University community on a number of legal issues.

Does the Office of Legal Affairs work with other external agencies? 

Yes. The Office of Legal Affairs represents the University to a variety of external regulatory and law enforcement agencies, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Civil Rights, and National Collegiate Athletic Association. This function requires responding to inquiries, charges, or complaints registered by or with such organizations, usually through conducting internal investigations, marshaling evidence, and developing and articulating University positions and responses in consultation with appropriate University Administrators.

About the Office of Legal Affairs Website

The materials and information on the Office of Legal Affairs website are presented for informational and general guidance purposes only and should not be relied upon as direct legal advice.The information on this website will be revised from time to time as appropriate, but references to law or policy may not always be current.

Please contact the Office of Legal Affairs for specific legal advice related to the University.

Contact Information

The Office of Legal Affairs is located on the 3rd floor of Cato Hall (see #48 on the Campus Map).

Office of Legal Affairs
UNC Charlotte
9201 University City Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28223-0001

• David E. Broome, General Counsel

• James E. S. (Jesh) Humphrey IV, Senior Associate General Counsel

• Amy S. Kelso, Senior Associate General Counsel (direct phone: 828‑232‑4990)

• Jeffrey N. Jensen, Associate General Counsel

• Sarah O.Edwards, Assistant General Counsel

• Patti Turner, Executive Assistant to General Counsel

• Tina Dadio, University Public Records Officer; Paralegal for the Office of Legal Affairs; and Administrative Assistant to the Senior Associate and Associate General Counsel positions