Susan Sher, Vice President for Legal and Government Affairs atUniversity of Chicago’s Medical Center, to join Obama administration

Susan S. Sher, Vice President for Legal and Governmental Affairs and General Counsel of the University of Chicago Medical Center, will be leaving her position to join the Obama administration as associate counsel to the President.

In her new position, she will work on legal issues associated with health care and will be advise First Lady Michelle Obama. Sher worked with Obama while the First Lady was Vice President for Community and External Affairs at the Medical Center.

"We congratulate Susan Sher on her appointment as Associate Counsel to the President," said Dr. James L. Madara, CEO of the Medical Center. "We will miss her personally, as well as her extraordinary talents and considerable experience in health care policy and government, regulatory and community affairs. She has been an important part of the Medical Center and the University communities."

Sher has extensive experience in health care and legal issues. At the Medical Center, she has been responsible for all legal, government, regulatory and community affairs. She also worked on governance issues.

From 1993 to 1997 she was the Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago, the City of Chicago's chief lawyer; she reported to the Mayor and was responsible for representing the Mayor, city departments, boards and commissions on all legal matters. She was the first Assistant Corporation Counsel from 1989-93.

Previously she was Associate General Counsel of the University of Chicago, and earlier, was a partner at Mayer Brown & Platt, specializing in labor and litigation. She is a graduate of the Loyola University of Chicago School of Law and George Washington University.

She has served on many boards and is past chair of the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. She is on a variety of task forces and committees involving not-for-profit corporations and health care, including the Illinois Hospital Association, the Attorney General's Charitable Advisory Task Force and the Donor's Public Trust Task Force.