The University of Wyoming Appoints New Chief Legal Counsel

The University of Wyoming Board of Trustees voted in favor Friday, Jan. 20 of Tara Evans’ appointment to UW’s chief legal counsel.

Evans has been serving as the University of Wyoming’s interim general counsel since August.

“Tara has demonstrated her ability to lead the university’s legal office with expertise and sound judgment,” UW President Laurie Nichols said in a UW news release. “Tara assumed the interim position in early August with no forewarning. She made a seamless transition and has readily taken responsibility for several complex projects at my and trustees’ request.”

Nichols said during the trustee’s meeting last week, she and the trustees agreed that there was no reason to proceed with a search for a new legal counsel, since they already had a qualified person in the position.

“I am also sensitive to the budget situation and felt this also was a potential budget savings for the university,” Nichols said.

Evans has been with the university since 2008, when she began working as a special assistant to President Tom Buchanan.

The UW alumna, with a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology and a law degree, also worked as an assistant attorney general for the state of Wyoming, according to a UW press release. She has been deputy legal counsel at UW since 2013.