President R. Gerald Turner announced in an e-mail to students on Monday that Paul Ward had been named as the new general counsel, vice president for legal affairs and secretary to the Board of Trustees.

He will take over Jan. 1, 2009.

Ward comes to SMU from Arizona State University. He served as vice president for university administration and general counsel. He has also served as an adjunct faculty member in the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law and the Mary Lou Fulton College of Education at ASU.

Ward served as the general counsel of the University of South Carolina from 1979 to 1991. Prior to that, he worked in the Washington D.C. law office of Casey, Lane & Mittendorf.

Ward graduated from the Dedman School of Law in 1975.

“We are pleased to welcome Paul Ward to SMU,” Turner stated in a press release. “As an SMU law alumnus, he knows the University and his extensive background in legal affairs at other universities gives him the knowledge and experience to lead SMU’s legal affairs division.”

Ward will supervise the Office of Legal Affairs, as well as legal services for SMU. He will also oversee the selection and management of outside counsel. In addition, Ward will serve the Board of Trustees.

“Paul Ward brings the perfect combination of legal knowledge and practice for this position, and I am delighted he has been selected,” Michael H. Boone, chairman of SMU’s Board of Trustees legal committee stated in a press release. “I know he will play an integral role in SMU’s development through his collaborative work with the Board, President Turner, faculty, staff and students.”

Ward will replace S. Leon Bennett, who announced his retirement over the summer. Bennett served SMU for 25 years and will be leaving in December.