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December 19, 2024

Dear Wolf Pack Family,

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Claudia Aguayo as the University’s General Counsel, effective Feb. 1, 2025. Claudia brings more than two decades of management and legal experience as a highly decorated attorney to this important position, which manages the institution’s legal, contracting, policy and compliance functions. She will also be leading our team of skilled attorneys and staff members in the General Counsel’s office and will serve as a member of the President’s Cabinet.

The appointment was made following a national search, and the announcement that Mary Dugan would be retiring in October after 20 years as the University’s Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel. I would like to express my gratitude and thanks to Melissa Barnard who has served as interim General Counsel since October.

Claudia began her professional legal career at the City of North Las Vegas. She served for 10 years as Deputy City Attorney, three years as Senior Deputy City Attorney, six months as Chief Deputy City Attorney, and six years as Assistant City Attorney. She then moved to Clark County District Attorney’s Office, Civil Division and has served there as the Senior Deputy District Attorney since July 2024.

She has more than 20 years of legal experience in areas including business, purchasing, contracts, torts, employment, labor/collective bargaining, discrimination, First Amendment, Civil Rights, real estate, financing, public records, ethics, open meeting law, public safety, legislative affairs, risk management and emergency management. She litigated civil, criminal and administrative law matters in federal, state, district, justice, and municipal courts, before administrative agencies and arbitrators. She hired, trained and led attorneys and employees in both Civil and Criminal Divisions.

Throughout her career in public service, Claudia has demonstrated a commitment to being involved in her community. She has been on the Nevada Judicial Selection Commission and the United States District Court Magistrate Judge Selection Panel, served as president of the Nevada Latino Bar Association, and for the past 14 years has mentored aspiring attorneys as part of the UNLV Boyd School of Law’s La Voz Huellas Mentorship Program. She also has experience as an Adjunct Professor at the College of Southern Nevada within the Department of Criminal Justice and Emergency Services.

An alumna of the University of Nevada, Claudia graduated with distinction with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism in 1999. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Davis, King Hall School of Law in 2002.

Her extensive background and accomplishments in the legal profession have demonstrated a clear record of leadership, collaboration and decision-making that will serve our University well.

I am thrilled to welcome back Claudia to the University of Nevada!

Go Pack!

Sincere regards,

Brian Sandoval
President