David Adcock to Retire as Duke's General Counsel in June 2006

David Adcock, who has served as general counsel of Duke University for more than two decades, will retire at the end of the upcoming academic year.

Adcock has been Duke's top lawyer since 1982, heading a team of seven attorneys whose responsibilities range across employment law, intellectual property, health care financing, property transactions and other legal issues. A graduate of Duke Law School, he has worked closely with the university's board of trustees and four Duke presidents - “ Terry Sanford, H. Keith H. Brodie, Nannerl O. Keohane and current president Richard H. Brodhead - “ in guiding Duke's growth to include more than 25,000 employees and an annual operating budget exceeding $2.5 billion.

Adcock made the decision to retire three years ago but, at the urging of Keohane, agreed to remain as general counsel during the transition to Brodhead's presidency and the arrival of a new chancellor for health affairs, Victor J. Dzau, M.D., both of whom assumed office in July 2004.

Brodhead said the search for Adcock's successor will be chaired by John Koskinen, former chairman of the Duke trustees and chair of President Bill Clinton's Council on Year 2000 Conversion.

"Like my predecessors, I have come to rely on David's wise counsel on a range of issues affecting the university," Brodhead said. "I am grateful that David was willing to delay his retirement to assist in the transition to new leadership. I look forward to working with him during the coming year, and with John Koskinen and the members of the search committee to attract a worthy successor in this critically important university post."

Adcock said he was "deeply honored to represent Duke University throughout these many years. I am privileged to be associated in a small way with the tremendous growth of Duke in terms of prominence, success and size. I intend to return to the private practice of law, which I thoroughly enjoyed prior to my service at Duke."

During his time at the university, Adcock also has served as a public arbitrator for the New York Stock Exchange and other investment organizations and, since 1996, been a licensed master of the U.S. Merchant Marine. He assisted the transition team of President Ronald Reagan. He also taught graduate courses at Duke for several years.

Prior to heading Duke's legal team, Adcock was a partner in the Atlanta firm of Smith, Currie & Hancock, where he dealt primarily with employment, pension and labor relations issues. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.