CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW)- Despite General Assembly legislation aimed at restoring independence of Virginia Universities to hire legal counsel, the law will not be amended in 2026.  Such duties will be retained by the state’s Attorney General, Jay Jones. 

Former general counsel for the University of Virginia Tim Heaphy said he disagreed with Jones’s position. 

Jones has urged statewide consistency in Government appointed university counsels.  He has opposed federal legal attacks on Virginia’s Universities in the past. 

Heaphy, who was on Jones’ transition team, argues that universities’ legal interests should be represented independently from the State of Virginia and other universities. 

“There are times that the University (of Virginia) wants to do something that differs with what the other universities want to do,” said Heaphy “the University needs its own advocate.” 

He went on say that the lack of general counsel meant there was no one to defend President Ryan’s or the University’s interests during the federal government’s investigation into UVA in 2025.