UCO Names Jill van Egmond Vice President and General Counsel
March 25, 2026
The University of Central Oklahoma has named Jill van Egmond as its new vice president and general counsel, bringing decades of legal experience in higher education, private practice and the state judiciary to the university’s executive leadership team.
In her role, van Egmond, from Altus, Oklahoma, will serve the university and the President’s Cabinet by providing legal counsel and strategic guidance on institutional matters, including compliance, governance and risk management.
“Jill brings a remarkable depth of legal expertise and a thoughtful approach to complex issues that will serve our university well,” said UCO President Todd G. Lamb.
“Her experience across the judiciary, private practice and higher education gives her a broad perspective that will be invaluable as we continue advancing Central’s mission. We are excited to welcome her to the University of Central Oklahoma community and to our executive leadership team.”
Joining Central with a distinguished legal career, van Egmond served as a staff attorney to the Honorable Justice James Winchester of the Oklahoma Supreme Court for the past 20 years. In that role, she conducted extensive legal research, provided strategic legal analysis and drafted judicial opinions addressing a broad range of complex legal issues.
Beginning her legal career in private practice, van Egmond gained broad experience at both small and large firms, including Crowe & Dunlevy. There, she practiced in the litigation department, handling matters involving employment law, medical malpractice defense, insurance defense and workers’ compensation. She later joined the Office of the General Counsel at the University of Oklahoma, where she managed a wide range of higher education legal issues, including employment matters, student and faculty grievances, compliance matters and contract negotiations.
Earning her Bachelor of Arts in Letters from the University of Oklahoma and her Juris Doctor from the University of Oklahoma College of Law, van Egmond graduated with honors in the top 10% of her class. She was inducted into the prestigious Order of the Coif and received merit-based awards for academic excellence in Evidence and Agency and Partnership. She is a member of the Oklahoma Bar Association and has previously been admitted to practice before the U.S. District Courts for the Western and Northern Districts of Oklahoma.
She officially began her role at UCO Jan. 31, succeeding former General Counsel Kendall Parrish, who retired at the end of January.
For more information about the University of Central Oklahoma, visit www.uco.edu.
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Cutline: The University of Central Oklahoma has named Jill van Egmond, pictured, as its new vice president and general counsel, bringing decades of legal experience in higher education, private practice and the state judiciary to the university’s executive leadership team. In her role, van Egmond, from Altus, Oklahoma, will serve the university and the President’s Cabinet by providing legal counsel and strategic guidance on institutional matters, including compliance, governance and risk management.
