Brian White, vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary at Wake Forest University, has been named Cornell’s vice president and general counsel. The Executive Committee of the Cornell Board of Trustees approved his appointment on June 15. 

White will start as Cornell’s top legal officer on Aug. 20.

Donica Thomas Varner, the university’s previous vice president and general counsel, stepped down from her role on Feb. 6. Since then, Debbie Hodys, associate vice president and deputy general counsel and secretary of Weill Cornell Medicine, has led the Office of General Counsel on an interim basis.

 “Brian will be an outstanding addition to Cornell,” said President Michael I. Kotlikoff. “Throughout his career, he has provided trusted guidance to leading universities and academic health systems while helping them navigate complex legal, regulatory and operational challenges. I’m grateful to Debbie for her exemplary service in the interim role and I’m excited to have Brian as part of the university’s leadership team.”

At Cornell, White will represent and provide legal advice to university leaders, the Board of Trustees, and other officials and units. He will oversee all legal matters affecting the university and will manage offices in Ithaca and New York City, which together include approximately 25 attorneys and 10 staff members. 

“It was clear throughout the search process that Brian is not only an accomplished legal executive, but also a thoughtful leader with the judgment and integrity that are essential in a general counsel,” said Anne Meinig Smalling ’87, chair of the Board of Trustees. “His depth of experience, strategic perspective and collaborative approach make him an excellent fit for Cornell. On behalf of the board, I am delighted to welcome him and look forward to his insight and leadership.”

White aims to advance Cornell’s “… any person… any study” mission and help the university navigate a pivotal period for higher education.

“Cornell is a world-class institution in pretty much all of its endeavors, whether it’s academics, medicine or research,” White said. “We’re in a transformative time, and Cornell has been a leader among its peers and I strongly believe it will continue to have a prominent voice in shaping the future of higher education.”   

White plans to start by getting to know his team and to understand how to connect his office with university leadership. He looks forward to working with leadership in many areas including fostering an environment of free speech, ensuring research growth, promoting academic exploration and engaging the entire university community, he said.

“A successful university means having an engaged community, not just on our campuses in Ithaca and New York City, but in every place Cornell touches,” White said. “I’m excited to get to know these places and to understand how each individual connected to Cornell plays a role in those communities.”   

Before joining Wake Forest University in 2023, White served as vice chancellor for legal affairs and general counsel at the University of Kansas (2018-23); chief counsel at University of Connecticut Health (2017-18); associate general counsel and interim vice president of facilities and support services at University of Wisconsin Heath (2015-17); and senior assistant director and legal counsel at University of Iowa Health Care (2006-15). Previously, he worked as an associate with the law firm Boundas, Skarzynski, Walsh & Black in Chicago. 

White holds a bachelor’s degree (1999) and a juris doctor degree (2002), both from the University of Iowa.