Shannon Pipes Named USU General Counsel

Utah State University President Brad L. Mortensen named Shannon Pipes as the university’s next general counsel and leader of the Office of Legal Affairs. She will join Utah State on June 22.

“Shannon’s breadth of higher education legal experience across multiple institutions, including land-grant universities, strong communication skills, and understanding of the complexity of a research university made her an especially strong candidate,” Mortensen said. "In the interview process, she demonstrated a collaborative approach, thoughtful judgment and an ability to navigate challenging issues with care and professionalism. I’m excited to welcome Shannon to Utah State and work with her as we continue supporting the university’s mission and serving students across the state.”

Shannon currently serves as senior associate university counsel at the University of Louisville, where she has advised university leaders on a wide range of issues, including name-image-likeness matters and athletics brand management, as well as research and innovation.

"I am thrilled with the opportunity to join Utah State and lead the Office of Legal Affairs,” Pipes said. “As a graduate of a land-grant university, Utah State's mission is near and dear to my heart, and I look forward to collaborating across campus to continue growing Utah State's reputation as the premier land-grant university. I want to thank President Mortensen for giving me such a tremendous opportunity to be a member of his team to help guide Utah State forward under his leadership.”

As general counsel, Pipes will oversee the Office of Legal Affairs, which provides legal services and advice to USU’s statewide system, ethics and compliance services, public records requests and support for university policy.

Pipes’ previous legal experience in higher education includes work at Colorado State University, Regis University, the University of Wyoming, and the University of Kansas Medical Center. She has a J.D. from Thomas Jefferson School of Law, as well as an M.S. in microbiology and a bachelor’s in political science from Colorado State University.