The Big Ten Conference has named Anil Gollahalli its Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel.
Gollahalli will report to Big Ten Conference Commissioner Kevin Warren, who is also a lawyer.
In his role with the conference, Gollahalli will oversee all legal, corporate governance, enterprise risk management, litigation, regulatory, corporate, and legal NCAA matters, as well as outside counsel management. He will work collaboratively with the COP/C, the athletics directors and the general counsels at the 14 Big Ten Conference member institutions and serve as a strategic advisor to Commissioner Warren and the conference. He will also work hand-in-hand with Big Ten Conference Chief of Staff and Deputy General Counsel Adam Neuman.
“Anil will make a tremendous addition to our conference senior leadership team,” said Commissioner Warren. “His immense experience in higher education, strategic approaches to collegiate athletics and entrepreneurial spirit will further ensure outstanding legal service, pioneering growth and trusted counsel for the conference, our world-class member institutions and partners.”
“We are in a transformational era of collegiate athletics, and I am honored to join the Big Ten Conference and work with Commissioner Warren,” said. Gollahalli. “The Big Ten offers unparalleled tradition and exciting innovation. I look forward to serving the conference and its member institutions to ensure we stay ahead of the curve and continue to provide premier academic and athletic opportunities across our 14 campuses and surrounding communities.”
Gollahalli joins the conference from the University of Oklahoma, where he was vice president and general counsel. He was a trusted advisor to President Joseph Harroz Jr. and the Oklahoma Board of Regents.
He managed all major legal projects, including the privatization of the university’s utilities systems, public private partnerships, consolidation of the university’s health system, and the acquisition and renovation of its campus in Italy. He counseled on all television and media development, intellectual property rights, athletics and university compliance, employment matters, healthcare operations, policy development, collections, and litigation. Additionally, he played a leadership role in the Oklahoma Board of Regents’ unanimous vote to enter the Southeastern Conference.
Prior to serving as University of Oklahoma General Counsel, Gollahalli was the vice president for technology development at the university. He also practiced law in Dallas, working extensively in the intellectual property fields, and served as law clerk to the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. Gollahalli received a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Political Science from the University of Oklahoma and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Chicago. Gollahalli serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association of College and University Attorneys, is currently barred in Texas and Oklahoma, and is licensed to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
