Marymount University has appointed Dolly Garcia as its next Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary to the Board of Trustees. In this role, she will serve as a strategic legal advisor to President Irma Becerra, the Board of Trustees and University leadership. She will officially begin her duties on July 28.
Garcia brings significant legal experience spanning federal litigation, appellate advocacy and higher education law. Since 2009, she has served as Associate General Counsel for the University of North Texas System, advising on matters including employment law, compliance, immigration, risk management, contracts and policy development. Her prior roles include Assistant Solicitor General for the State of Texas, senior associate in complex civil litigation and law clerk to a federal magistrate judge. She has argued before both the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the Texas Supreme Court.
“Dolly brings a distinguished legal background with extensive experience in appellate law, institutional governance—including higher education—federal litigation and public service,” President Becerra said. “She has a reputation for strategic legal thinking, collaborative problem solving and a commitment to integrity and service, and we look forward to the expertise and energy she will bring to our University community.”
“I believe in Marymount’s educational mission, and was drawn to the University because it’s a Catholic, Hispanic-Serving Institution,” Garcia said. “It’s the perfect fit for me.”
At Marymount, Garcia will provide legal counsel on a broad range of issues affecting the University, including governance, regulatory compliance, risk mitigation, litigation and employment matters. She will also serve as Secretary to the Board of Trustees, advising on institutional policies and helping steward the University’s mission and values through legal strategy.
“I feel so blessed to have found this opportunity where my faith and public service as a higher education lawyer align perfectly,” she added. “I am excited to work with a dynamic group of campus leaders, most especially President Becerra. She is a trailblazing role model and it is my privilege to be one of her strategic partners.”
Looking ahead, Garcia is mindful of the evolving legal environment facing colleges and universities nationwide.
“The biggest challenge I face as I begin my new position is that the legal landscape is quickly shifting, and new laws are being enacted that affect many areas of higher education,” she explained. “We will keep abreast of new developments and work with campus leaders to establish new policies and procedures.”
Garcia succeeds Isis Carbajal de Garcia, who served as Interim Vice President and General Counsel and provided valuable leadership during a period of transition, overseeing improvements to University processes and policies in areas such as international travel, student visa compliance, training and evolving federal regulations.
A first-generation college graduate, Dolly Garcia earned her J.D. from the University of Notre Dame and her bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Texas. She is licensed to practice law in the State of Texas, the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and all four U.S. District Courts in Texas.
