October 23, 2018
Dear UT Community,
I am pleased to announce that James Davis has accepted my offer to serve as Vice President for Legal Affairs for The University of Texas at Austin. He will begin on November 19.
Jim is a talented and accomplished public servant and attorney who has spent much of his career supporting his country and state. I am delighted he will be returning to the Forty Acres, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history. He is uniquely qualified for this role, in which he will work as general counsel, provide legal guidance to the university, and oversee the Legal Affairs office.
He has a law degree from Harvard University and is a U.S. Navy veteran. During his career, he has also been a briefing attorney for the Supreme Court of Texas and worked in private practice. Since 2015, he has served as Deputy Attorney General for Civil Litigation for the state of Texas, through which he has represented more than 200 state agencies, boards and commissions to advance their policy goals.
Of his many accomplishments, Jim is most proud of being a Texas Ex and of his deep ties to UT, where his father once served as chair of the Department of Radio-Television-Film. Jim understands the needs and challenges facing the flagship university of Texas and has the vision to help us continue to excel.
I am grateful to Patti Ohlendorf for her contributions during her 20 years as Vice President for Legal Affairs, and to Chief Compliance Office Leo Barnes, who has served as interim Vice President for Legal Affairs since Patti announced her retirement this summer.
Please join me in welcoming James Davis to UT.
Sincerely,
Gregory L. Fenves
President