Regent University
Human Resources Department

Retention of Outside Attorneys

Regent University has an Office of General Counsel, which is charged with providing legal services to the University and each of its schools and departments.  No school or department should retain outside legal counsel without first contacting Mr. Isakoff, Vice President and General Counsel (757.226.2794, isakoff@regent.edu), and obtaining his approval first.

This rule applies whether the outside attorney is going to represent Regent University directly, or when Regent or any officer or employee is asked to fill out any forms or documents to assist a third party (such as immigration forms), even if Regent is not directly engaging the attorney, and even if the charges are going to be billed back to a third party.  In addition, Mr. Isakoff should receive and approve all legal bills, even if they are going to be charged to an individual school or departmental budget.  At the time of the annual audit of Regent, we are required to send out letters to each attorney performing services for Regent, so the Office of General Counsel MUST know anytime an outside attorney is retained.

 

Third Party Serving Legal Pleadings/Documents

Occasionally third parties want to serve legal pleadings and documents on Regent University, its offices, clinics, departments, officers, employees or others on our campus.  These documents are either served by uniformed sheriff's deputies or by privately hired process servers.  These documents could name Regent in a lawsuit or other claim, they could be a subpoena to attend a deposition, hearing or trial, and sometimes to produce documents for those depositions, hearings or trials. The papers could also be garnishment papers.

The ONLY person authorized to accept service of legal pleadings on behalf of the university, its offices, clinics, departments or officers or anyone else acting in an official capacity on behalf of Regent University is Louis A. Isakoff, Vice President and General Counsel.  If a deputy sheriff or other process server asks to drop off legal documents, please refer them to Mr. Isakoff's office, located in the Studio Headquarters Building, 226.2794.  No other person is authorized to accept such papers.

Process servers may be persistent.  They may tell you that you have authority to accept the papers, or that all they have to do is drop the papers off at a reception desk.  That is not the case.  Therefore, you should politely reject any attempt by them to drop off the papers. There is no need to get into an altercation.  If the process server just drops the papers and leaves, simply tell them that you are not accepting the papers and then call Mr. Isakoff at once.

Mr. Isakoff will not accept papers served on individuals not acting in their capacity as Regent employees.  He will simply suggest to the process server that the server contact the individual other than during working time.

Please contact Mr. Isakoff with any questions.