Michael Leitch

Mike Leitch joined the General Counsel's office in 2011 after more than eleven years of representing public and private entities in civil litigation and three years of leading the Civil Litigation division of the Kansas Attorney General’s office.  He helps University clients solve problems involving student rights and responsibilities, diversity and accessibility, academic and non-academic misconduct, and First Amendment issues, including free speech and religious liberty.  He also handles employment questions, including claims of discrimination.  Mike helps faculty and staff address questions regarding disabled students and employees and accommodations under the ADA.  He handles business, transactional, and contractual disputes, open records (KORA) matters, and damage claims asserted against the University.  He responds to subpoenas and represents the University in state and federal court and with administrative agencies.  He has experience on issues involving information security and data handling obligations, as well as copyright issues and state ethics requirements.  Mike was promoted to Deputy General Counsel over the Lawrence Campus as of July, 2024.

A lifelong Jayhawk, Mike is a proud graduate of KU’s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.  He attended law school at the University of Texas at Austin.