Missouri State Universitys General Counsel Office Chelsea
Clark, Robin Hamilton, Riley ODell, and Alex Owens
Slide 2
1.How does leadership within the General Counsel Office impact
the offices operations? 2.How does the offices organizational
culture affect the way work is completed? 3.How are the culture and
climate perceived amongst those who work with the office, and how
does that perception affect the partnership? Research questions to
be answered
Slide 3
Data Collection METHOD Interviews Conducted With: Interviews
Conducted With: Ed Choate Director of Human Resources Ed Choate
Director of Human Resources Chris Craig Associate Provost Chris
Craig Associate Provost Ryan DeBoef - Legal Counsel Ryan DeBoef -
Legal Counsel Penni Groves General Counsel Penni Groves General
Counsel Belinda McCarthy Former Missouri State Provost and Current
Professor Belinda McCarthy Former Missouri State Provost and
Current Professor TJ Phinney Part Time Administrative Assistant TJ
Phinney Part Time Administrative Assistant Clif Smart Former
Missouri State General Counsel and Current President Clif Smart
Former Missouri State General Counsel and Current President Lisa
Taylor Paralegal Lisa Taylor Paralegal Artifacts Collection -
Pictures of Office Artifacts Collection - Pictures of Office
Slide 4
This unit is in charge of assisting with university compliance
with Federal and State laws providing legal advice to
administrators, and assisting university employees, and carrying
out tasks assigned by the Board of Governors and President of
Missouri State University (Provost Communiqu, 2012). (Provost
Communiqu, 2012). GENERAL COUNSEL OFFICE DEFINED
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History John BlackJohn Black Clif SmartClif Smart Penni
GrovesPenni Groves GC office is unique because manyGC office is
unique because many large universities rely on outside large
universities rely on outside counsel, versus having a team of
counsel, versus having a team of attorneys directly working for the
attorneys directly working for the university as hired staff.
university as hired staff.
Slide 6
Organizational Structure Board of Governors Paralegal Lisa
Taylor Legal Counsel Ryan Deboef Admin. Assistant TJ Phinney
General Counsel Penni Groves System President Clif Smart
Slide 7
Office Structure Penni Groves General Counsel Lead Legal
Counsel for MSU Represents Board of Governors, University
Administration, and Faculty Serves as a sounding board for all
legal decisions for policy changes at MSU in order to minimize
litigation Member of Administrative Counsel and other
committees
Slide 8
Office Structure Ryan DeBoef Legal Counsel Serves as a sounding
board for all legal decisions for policy changes at MSU in order to
minimize litigation Focuses on the Division for Student Affairs
Member of VPSA Administrative Counsel and Behavioral Intervention
Team
Slide 9
Office Structure Lisa Taylor Paralegal Clerical tasks and
budgetingClerical tasks and budgeting Coordinates meetings
Coordinates meetings Draft writer for legal language of new
policies and contractsDraft writer for legal language of new
policies and contracts TJ Phinney Admin. Assist Welcomes guests and
visitors Answers phones Clerical tasks Other duties as
assigned
Slide 10
Style Leadership Approach Combines two different types of
behaviors task and relationship Task Behaviors include facilitating
goals and accomplishing the production of tasksTask Behaviors
include facilitating goals and accomplishing the production of
tasks Relationship Behaviors include those that build positive
morale amongst subordinates and collegesRelationship Behaviors
include those that build positive morale amongst subordinates and
colleges (Northouse, 2013)
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Leadership Approach of Penni Groves Team Management (9,9)
Collaborative; prefers face to face communication; trusts her
colleaguesCollaborative; prefers face to face communication; trusts
her colleagues Penni is very hands-on and she wants to know what is
going on. If it involves this department, she wants to know, and
for good reason. Lisa TaylorPenni is very hands-on and she wants to
know what is going on. If it involves this department, she wants to
know, and for good reason. Lisa Taylor Even though I have a great
deal of respect for Ryan, he still works for me. Penni GrovesEven
though I have a great deal of respect for Ryan, he still works for
me. Penni Groves
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Leadership Approach of Ryan Deboef Country Club (1, 9) Laid
back; easy going; does not worry about how goals are accomplished;
uses humorLaid back; easy going; does not worry about how goals are
accomplished; uses humor I dont make mountains out of molehills.
I'm very hands-off. I dont care how it gets done, just as long as
it gets done. Ryan DeBoefI dont make mountains out of molehills.
I'm very hands-off. I dont care how it gets done, just as long as
it gets done. Ryan DeBoef You give your advice, and you dont get
too concerned with whether your advice gets followed or not. Ryan
DeBoefYou give your advice, and you dont get too concerned with
whether your advice gets followed or not. Ryan DeBoef
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Bureaucracy Organizational Approach The Bureaucracy Approach is
hierarchal in nature. It positions individuals with authority to
use a top-down structure for completing organizational tasks,
maintain order, and remain consistent. It includes the following
aspects: The Bureaucracy Approach is hierarchal in nature. It
positions individuals with authority to use a top-down structure
for completing organizational tasks, maintain order, and remain
consistent. It includes the following aspects: Appointment of
StaffAppointment of Staff AuthorityAuthority
CommunicationCommunication Decision MakingDecision Making Ways of
OperatingWays of Operating Labor Organization Span of Control
Stability of Personnel Centralization/ Decentralization (Manning,
2013)
Slide 14
New Science Organizational Approach The New Science Approach is
rooted in relationships and open communication within an
organization. It is holistic and allows employees to have autonomy
with an organizations tasks and projects. This approach includes
the following aspects: NondulisticNondulistic Trust and
cooperationTrust and cooperation CommunicationCommunication
PowerPower LeadershipLeadership
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Bureaucracy and The General Counsels Office If Penni tells me
what to do, I have to do it, or she will fire me - Ryan DeBoefIf
Penni tells me what to do, I have to do it, or she will fire me -
Ryan DeBoef At the end of the day I still sign [Ryans] times sheets
Penni GrovesAt the end of the day I still sign [Ryans] times sheets
Penni Groves Attorney Client Privilege InfluenceAttorney Client
Privilege Influence Clif Smart InfluenceClif Smart Influence The
office appears to be closed off and secretive from an outsiders
point of viewThe office appears to be closed off and secretive from
an outsiders point of view
Slide 16
New Science and THe General Counsels Office
TransparencyTransparency Supportive AtmosphereSupportive Atmosphere
Open-CommunicationOpen-Communication First Come-First Serve
PolicyFirst Come-First Serve Policy No matter what the situation
is, we always try to have each others backs Ryan DeBoefNo matter
what the situation is, we always try to have each others backs Ryan
DeBoef
Slide 17
Culture and Martin Culture is the set of important
understandings (often unstated) that members of a community share
in commonCulture is the set of important understandings (often
unstated) that members of a community share in common Technical
Jargon is task orientated and appears to be emotionally
neutralTechnical Jargon is task orientated and appears to be
emotionally neutral Attorney-Client PrivilegeAttorney-Client
Privilege Secret and Stilted EnvironmentSecret and Stilted
Environment Physical ArrangementPhysical Arrangement Dress
AttireDress Attire Secure environment (e.g. black file cabinets
& clean desks)Secure environment (e.g. black file cabinets
& clean desks) Buying and Sharing of the CultureBuying and
Sharing of the Culture
Slide 18
Leadership Impact Common Denominator of the General Counsel
Office >Penni GrovesCommon Denominator of the General Counsel
Office >Penni Groves Personal and professional
relationshipsPersonal and professional relationships Presence with
other offices and external stakeholdersPresence with other offices
and external stakeholders Open-CommunicationOpen-Communication
Office buyin with institutionOffice buyin with institution
Slide 19
References Manning, K. (2013). Organizational theory in higher
education. New York: Routledge. Martin, J. (2002). Organizational
culture: Mapping the terrain. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Missouri
State University Fact Book. (2012-2013). Retrieved from
http://www.missouristate.edu/assets/oir/2012-13_Fact_Book_FINAL_DRAFT_3-5-
13.pdf
http://www.missouristate.edu/assets/oir/2012-13_Fact_Book_FINAL_DRAFT_3-5
13.pdf Missouri State University Committees Handbook. (2013-2014).
Retrieved from
http://www.missouristate.edu/assets/Provost/CommitteesHandbook.pdf
http://www.missouristate.edu/assets/Provost/CommitteesHandbook.pdf
Missouri State University Office of Human Resources. (2007).
General counsel. Retrieved from Retrieved from
http://www.missouristate.edu/human/jobdescriptions/21802.htmhttp://www.missouristate.edu/human/jobdescriptions/21802.htm
Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and practice (6th ed.).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Provost Communiqu (2012). Faculty,
student, and staff seminar: Top 10 ways General Counsels office can
help you. Retrieved from
http://blogs.missouristate.edu/provost/2012/08/30/provost-communique-for-august-
302012/
http://blogs.missouristate.edu/provost/2012/08/30/provost-communique-for-august-
302012/