Services

The Office of the General Counsel performs a wide variety of legal services. These include advising University officials on regulatory compliance and other legal aspects of their duties; representing the University in litigation before federal and state courts and administrative agencies; advising on issues involving risk management; preparing, drafting, revising and negotiating contracts between the University and other entities; and representing the University in real estate and other commercial transactions. The Office also supervises the activities of outside counsel who may be retained to assist with particular matters requiring specialized expertise.  The OGC does not "approve" contracts, nor does it sign contracts on Harvard's behalf.

Principal areas of the Office's practice include the following:

  • Academic Affairs
  • Antitrust
  • Athletics - Title IX
  • Charitable Giving
  • Commercial Transactions
  • Construction
  • Copyright and Publishing Law
  • Corporate Governance
  • Disability and Handicap Law
  • Employment/OSHA/Wage-Hour Laws
  • Employee Benefits
  • Environmental Law
  • Health Care Administration
  • Immigration
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Labor Law
  • Litigation - Internal Investigations
  • Museum Administration
  • Personal Injury - Tort Defense
  • Police and Security
  • Race Conscious Admissions
  • Real Estate and Land Use
  • Records Access and Privacy
  • Regulatory Compliance
  • Scientific Misconduct
  • Sponsored Research
  • Student Affairs and Discipline
  • Taxation
  • Technology Transfer
  • Telecommunications