President Garland Appoints Christopher W. Holmes as University’s General Counsel

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WACO, Texas (Aug. 18, 2016) – Baylor University Interim President David E. Garland has announced the appointment of Christopher W. Holmes as the University’s General Counsel, effective immediately.

Holmes has served as interim General Counsel since February. He succeeds Baylor’s longtime General Counsel Charles D. Beckenhauer, who died July 5 after a lengthy illness.

“I can think of no one better qualified than Chris Holmes to serve as General Counsel for Baylor University,” Garland said. “I have greatly admired his work during the many years I have known him at Baylor and believe him to be a perfect fit. He has had extensive experience, is highly respected in the legal community and by the Regents, and has performed admirably in the interim role.”

“I am honored to serve as General Counsel for Baylor. It is humbling to follow Charlie Beckenhauer, who led the office these last 10 years and was such a gracious lawyer and good friend,” Holmes said. “I look forward to working with Baylor’s administration and our legal team as we continue to help Baylor University carry out its mission.”

Holmes earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Baylor in 1988 and his law degree with honors from the University of Texas at Austin in 1991.

Holmes began his service at Baylor in October 2002 as assistant General Counsel and was named associate General Counsel in December 2012. Prior to Baylor, he was General Counsel at Dallas Baptist University and an attorney with Cowles and Thompson P.C. in Dallas.

Holmes serves on the board of directors of the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA). In 2011, he received NACUA’s First Decade Award, which is given to an NACUA member with 10 or fewer years of service who has provided outstanding service to NACUA and to the practice of higher education law.

Holmes and his wife, Dawn, B.S.Ed. ’89, have four children, two of whom are Baylor students. They are members of Harris Creek Baptist Church, where Holmes serves as an elder.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 16,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.