Update: CU names Patrick O’Rourke vice president and university counsel/ secretary to Board of Regents

The University of Colorado today named Patrick O’Rourke as the university system’s chief legal officer and secretary to the Board of Regents, effective June 1.

O’Rourke, 41, now serves as managing senior associate university counsel, overseeing CU’s litigation efforts in state and federal court for the university’s four campuses. He replaces Dan Wilkerson, who is retiring.

“Patrick O’Rourke is one of the brightest legal minds in Colorado and we are thrilled that the University of Colorado will continue to benefit from his experience and expertise,” said Michael Carrigan, co-chair of the search committee and vice chair of the CU Board of Regents. “We had a deep and talented pool of candidates that made the search committee’s job difficult, but we are confident that Patrick is the right choice to continue to move the university forward.”

O’Rourke, who last fall was one of three finalists for a vacancy on the Colorado Supreme Court, has tried some of the university’s highest-profile cases. He has been at CU since 2005.

“I’m honored by this opportunity and I value the trust and confidence the Board of Regents and President Benson have in me,” O’Rourke said.

Kyle Hybl, chair of the CU Board of Regents, said O’Rourke is well-suited to the dual role of chief legal officer and secretary to the board.

“Pat has worked individually and collectively with members of the Board of Regents, and we have every confidence in his abilities not only in the legal realm, but also in managing the business of the board,” Hybl said.

O’Rourke will also serve on CU President Bruce Benson’s executive team.

“I have great respect for what Pat has accomplished at CU and he will be an integral part of our team as we move the university forward,” Benson said.

Before coming to CU, O’Rourke was a litigation attorney at Montgomery Little & McGrew. He earned his law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center and his undergraduate degree from Creighton University.