Dear campus community,
I am writing to announce the appointment of UC Berkeley Associate Campus Counsel David M. Robinson as Interim Chief Campus Counsel, effective immediately. David will take over the position left vacant when former counsel Chris Patti was tragically killed in a bicycle accident in August. David will serve in the role until the search for a permanent replacement can be completed later this academic year. During the interim period, Associate Campus Counsels Therese Leone and Julie Conner will assume additional responsibilities to ensure that the campus has adequate legal support during this transition period.
David has been a member of Berkeley’s Office of Legal Affairs since 2011, and before that spent a decade in the University of California’s systemwide Office of the General Counsel, where he was a leader in its construction and legislative affairs groups. Prior to joining UC, David was a partner at the law firm of Goldfarb & Lipman in San Francisco. He is a graduate of UC Santa Cruz and the UC Hastings College of the Law.
While David has particular expertise in construction, real estate, land use, and environmental law, his long career at our university has brought him into all manner of complex legal matters involving academic and student affairs, business affairs, constitutional rights, and other issues. The depth and breadth of his knowledge – coupled with his characteristic thoughtfulness and warmth – ensure that he will provide a steady hand during a period of transition for the Office of Legal Affairs. I hope you will join me in welcoming David to his interim role and thanking him for his continued dedication to our community during this difficult time.
In closing, I would again like to recognize our late colleague Chris Patti, a brilliant lawyer, longtime campus servant, and friend to many, whose life was so shockingly cut short several weeks ago. I encourage you to read more about Chris and his contributions to campus in this eulogy in Berkeley News.
Sincerely,
Carol Christ
Chancellor