The Office of Legal Affairs is Augusta University's in-house legal counsel. Attorneys in the Office of Legal Affairs provide legal advice and counseling to the University through its administrators, faculty, and staff in the course of their duties on behalf of the University.
The Augusta University Legal Affairs Office provides advice on a variety of topics including contracts, employment and discretionary issues, inventions, copyrights and other intellectual property, and risk management. In addition to providing legal counseling to the University, other areas of responsibility for the Office of Legal Affairs include policy interpretation and advice, administration of the University's grievance and dispute resolution procedures, contract review, and – in conjunction with the Attorney General – management of actual or threatened litigation in which the University is involved. The Office of Legal Affairs is also available to provide training and informative programs on legal issues applicable to units of the University.
The information contained on this site is for use by Augusta University. Forms or documents provided are not intended to serve as legal advice. The Office of Legal Affairs does not provide legal advice to administrators, faculty, staff, or students in their individual capacities. Employees and students should generally consult with their supervisor or faculty member before contacting the Legal Affairs Office.
Legal Affairs
Health Sciences Campus
Kelly Admin Bldg AA 2007
1459 Laney Walker Blvd
Augusta, GA 30912
(706) 721-4018
legal@augusta.edu
We are guided by operating principles of: integrity and the highest ethical standards; a commitment to excellence; continuously updated legal expertise; professionalism; creativity; sound decision-making; prevention; effectiveness; risk management; teamwork; effective communication; courtesy and respect; consensus-building; timeliness; and professional growth.
Legal Affairs serves as the single source for university-level policies and information pertaining to policy drafting and review.
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) governs the release of educational records. Students must file educational records request with the Registrar’s Office.
Statutory device whereby a patient informs a healthcare provider how he/she desires their care to be delivered given a particular set of medical conditions.
Employee conduct that improperly benefits his/her financial interest or those of his or her family members or any business with which the person is associated.
Intellectual property is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. The most prominent types are copyrights, patents, and trademarks.
AU has a system for processing contracts. All contracts must be approved by the Office of Legal Affairs prior to execution by employees with written signature authority.
Non-disclosure agreements (NDA) are legal commitments prohibiting the release of specific information, e.g., proprietary research, health and educational records, etc.
“A comprehensive and ongoing policy process is a critical component of creating and supporting a culture of ethics and integrity, which reflects our mission and values,” said Chris Melcher, vice president and general counsel for Augusta University.
Preventing the spread of COVID-19 makes it an unusual circumstance for coordinating volunteer efforts.
The Office of Legal Affairs assumed responsibility for the university’s policy system in January and is working to update and streamline the policy process.
In July 2018, President Keel asked the Office of Legal Affairs to assume responsibility for the management and implementation of university policies and the Policy Library.
