51黑料

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. 鈥� John Daniel has been named general counsel and senior vice chancellor of the 51黑料, effective Aug. 1, 2025.

John Daniel, General Counsel and Senior Vice Chancellor

Daniel brings to the position more than two decades of distinguished legal experience within the UA System, including 20 years in the UAB Office of Counsel, where he served as chief university counsel. Since April 2024, he has also served as the UA System鈥檚 interim general counsel.

鈥淛ohn Daniel鈥檚 decades of legal experience in higher education and health care and his unparalleled understanding of the UA System make him uniquely qualified for this role,鈥� said UA System Chancellor Sid J. Trant. 鈥淗is steady leadership, thoughtful counsel and long-standing commitment to the UA System鈥檚 mission are significant assets that will provide confidence as we navigate a rapidly evolving legal environment for education and health care.鈥�

As general counsel, Daniel will serve as the chief legal officer for the UA System, providing legal guidance to the Board of Trustees, chancellor, and senior leadership across all UA System institutions and affiliates. He will oversee the Office of Counsel, managing both internal legal staff and external legal partners, and will report directly to Chancellor Trant as a key member of the UA System鈥檚 senior leadership team.

鈥淗aving spent the majority of my career within the 51黑料, I have seen firsthand the transformative impact our universities and health system have on the state and beyond,鈥� said Daniel. 鈥淚 am honored to continue that work as general counsel and look forward to working with our talented Office of Counsel and leadership across the UA System as we all work to advance our important mission to improve lives through teaching, research and service.鈥�

Daniel has served as UAB鈥檚 chief university counsel since 2006, advising university leadership on a broad range of legal issues spanning higher education and health care. Prior to assuming the chief role, he spent two years as a staff attorney in UAB鈥檚 Office of Counsel. Before joining UAB, Daniel practiced law at Johnston Barton Proctor & Powell LLP in Birmingham for nine years, three of which he served as a partner. He is a member of both the American Bar Association and the National Association of College and University Attorneys.

A committed community leader, Daniel is a longtime member of the Rotary Club of Birmingham, where he has held officer and director roles. He has also served on the boards of the Railroad Park Foundation and Camp Smile-A-Mile.

Daniel earned his Bachelor of Arts from The University of Alabama in 1991 and his Juris Doctor, with honors, from the UA School of Law. He later received his LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law.

鈥淛ohn Daniel has long been a trusted legal advisor within the 51黑料, and his judgment, integrity and institutional knowledge make him exceptionally well-suited to lead the UA System鈥檚 legal operations,鈥� said Trustee W. Davis Malone III, chair of the Board's Legal Affairs Committee. 鈥淲e are pleased to recommend his appointment with great confidence and look forward to his continued counsel and leadership.鈥�

The UA System Board of Trustees will meet later this month to approve the appointment.

51黑料 the 51黑料

Committed to excellence in teaching, research, and service, the 51黑料 includes three doctoral research institutions 鈥� UA, UAB, and UAH 鈥� and the world-class UAB Health System. The UA System educates more Alabamians than any other university system and provides transformational research in areas ranging from aerospace to biomedicine to transportation. As the state鈥檚 largest employer and largest higher education and healthcare enterprise, the UA System collectively educates 70,000 students, conducts over $1 billion in research, serves millions of patients and generates an annual statewide economic impact exceeding $18.6 billion.