Matthew D. Lahey Appointed Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

Dear Oberlin Community,

I am pleased to announce that after a thorough national search, and approval by the Oberlin College Board of Trustees Executive Committee, Oberlin has appointed Matthew D. Lahey to the role of vice president, general counsel and secretary.

During the search process, Matt stood out to me for his breadth of experience in higher education, his extensive work on diversity issues, his teaching experience, and his demonstrated commitment to the mission and values of Oberlin.

Matt comes to us from the University of Notre Dame, where he held the position of associate general counsel for over eight years. In that role, he advised senior leadership on strategic initiatives and issues related to academic affairs, litigation, university policy and procedure, and institutional risk, among others. Matt brings significant experience in employment law, Title IX, and institutional compliance, and was the Office of General Counsel’s employment team leader.  Matt has also held a faculty appointment at the Notre Dame Law School for the last several years, where he taught Employment Discrimination Law and Labor & Employment Law.

Prior to his work at Notre Dame, Matt was a partner in the labor and employment group at the AmLaw 100 firm Schiff Hardin LLP in Chicago, where he worked for 13 years counseling and litigating on behalf of employers of all sizes on a wide range of employment and labor matters. While at Schiff, Matt published frequently and gave regular presentations on L&E laws and trends.

Matt has also been on the board of directors for the Family Justice Center of St. Joseph County since 2018. The FJC is a federally funded non-profit organization committed to providing legal and other critical support services to victims of domestic violence.

Matt shared that he is "incredibly honored and excited to work with President Ambar, the Board of Trustees, and Oberlin College & Conservatory's entire leadership team as Oberlin's next General Counsel and Secretary of the Board.  Oberlin is a unique and special community whose aspirations are reflected in its historical and contemporary ideals of intellectual curiosity, individual growth and empowerment, and inclusion. These values continue to help Oberlin drive the world around it forward, and resonate with me in a very personal and profound way. I am thrilled and committed to do everything I can to support Oberlin’s mission and its future."

Matt earned his BBA in finance from the University of Notre Dame and his JD from the University of Virginia School of Law.

I want to thank the members of the search committee for their thoughtful leadership during the search process. 

Matt’s first day at Oberlin will be February 1. Please join me in welcoming Matt when he arrives on campus.

Sincerely,

Carmen Twillie Ambar
President