UC Davis Interim Chancellor Ralph J. Hexter has appointed Michael F. Sweeney to serve as interim chief campus counsel beginning on June 8, following the departure of Jacob Appelsmith, who will return to serving in Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration. 

Sweeney joined UC Davis in 2007 as senior campus counsel, where he provides legal advice, consultation and representation in response to a full range of legal issues associated with the administration, management and operation of the Davis campus. He previously held the role of interim chief campus counsel in 2013.

“Mike is the ideal candidate for this interim role because he is completely familiar with the day-to-day operations and caseload of the Office of Campus Counsel and priorities across all of UC Davis,” Hexter said. “He is a skilled and experienced attorney in whom I have complete confidence. Mike is deeply committed to the well-being of students, staff, and faculty, with a particularly strong record in fighting for civil rights.”

Sweeney’s current areas of legal services cover a wide variety of issues, including employment, student affairs, academic affairs and research issues, compliance, sexual violence and sexual harassment, intellectual property, constitutional law, health law, and Athletics.

Prior to joining UC Davis, Sweeney served as deputy attorney general in the civil rights and employment sections of the California Attorney General’s Office. He served also as senior staff counsel at the Department of Fair Employment and Housing.

Sweeney is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, and he received his J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law.

In his interim role, Sweeney will report jointly to the UC Davis Chancellor and to the university’s Office of General Counsel. A search for the next Chief Campus Counsel will begin soon after Chancellor-designate Gary S. May is on board in August.