USC’s Office of the General Counsel
USC’s Office of the General Counsel (OGC) is responsible for addressing legal issues arising out of the activities of USC, Keck Medicine of USC, and various subsidiary entities. Led by Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Beong-Soo Kim, the OGC consists of in-house attorneys, including several specializing in health law, and support staff partnering with outside law firms. Our mission is to assist USC (through its various schools and departments) with legal issues and transactions, to educate USC’s administrators and faculty with regard to the laws applicable to USC’s operations, to defend the university against litigation, and to provide advice to assist university administrators and faculty to pursue their objectives and goals, with an overall objective of protecting USC from liability.
USC is a private, not-for-profit public benefit corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of California. The university’s specific and primary purposes are charitable and educational in nature within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and Section 214 of the California Revenue and Taxation Code. USC is governed by a self-perpetuating Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees is responsible for the overall management of the university including its academic policy, university development, long-range land use and resource planning, and supervision of financial and budgetary affairs.
* The OGC represents employees only for those matters within the course and scope of their employment, subject to California Labor Code Section 2802. The OGC cannot provide legal advice or assistance for members of the USC community in their personal capacity.*