University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella announced today that he has selected Clifton "Cliff" Iler as the university's new general counsel following a national search.

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Iler will oversee the university's Office of the General Counsel, leading a team of in-house attorneys and providing legal advice to Garimella and other senior leaders. He brings three decades of experience in higher education and health care law to the role, succeeding Laura Todd Johnson, who retired earlier this year after 23 years of distinguished service at the university.

"Cliff's deep expertise in critical areas of the law and his experience make him uniquely well qualified for this leadership role," Garimella said. "His background working in complex academic health care settings and overseeing legal affairs for one of the nation's oldest and most prestigious public universities will enable the U of A to pursue our goals strategically and with the excellent legal counsel we need for continued success. I look forward to his joining our team."

Iler currently serves as university counsel and senior assistant attorney general at the University of Virginia, where, unlike the U of A, the senior legal adviser to the institution reports to the state's attorney general. His legal expertise includes higher education governance, research and compliance, health care law, employment and faculty matters, and First Amendment and constitutional issues.

"I'm excited to join President Garimella's team and serve an institution whose mission and impact reach every corner of Arizona and far beyond," Iler said. "The U of A's commitment to student success, groundbreaking research and engagement with its community reflects the very best of the public university ideal. I look forward to supporting that work and helping advance the university's strategic imperatives in the years ahead."

Before joining UVA, Iler worked at the University of Kentucky, where he held the positions of deputy general counsel for faculty, students and research, and associate general counsel for health care. Earlier in his career, he worked at MCG Health Inc., affiliated with the Medical College of Georgia, and with Alston & Bird LLP in Atlanta as part of the firm's products liability and litigation and trial practice groups.

Iler earned a degree in English and economics from Centre College and a Juris Doctor from the University of Kentucky College of Law. His appointment begins in November.