Ray Bonilla has left his post as general counsel and chief legal officer of the Texas A&M University System to join the Austin office of Holland & Knight as a partner.
Bonilla, who was at Texas A&M for nearly 15 years, will focus his practice on representing educational institutions. He is the second prominent Austin partner to join Holland & Knight this week; the firm has also picked up veteran venture capital lawyer Carmelo Gordian.
“Ray’s breadth of experience serving as general counsel for the Texas A&M University System will significantly enhance the firm’s litigation, labor and employment, and education practices, while also deepening our capabilities in sports law,” Eddie Diaz, co-leader of Holland & Knight’s Labor, Employment and Benefits Practice Group, said in the firm’s announcement. “His addition creates new opportunities for collaboration across our Texas offices as we continue to grow in the state.”
At Texas A&M, Bonilla oversaw legal matters for a total of eleven universities in the A&M system, which includes more than 170,000 students and around 30,000 employees. His purview covered governance, litigation, regulatory compliance, faculty and student affairs, research compliance, construction and real estate, international activities, and Division I athletics. He also played a key role on legislative matters, testifying before committees of the Texas Legislature on a variety of higher education topics.
“As universities across the country navigate the rapid changes in their regulatory environment and in areas such as name, image and likeness, and collegiate athletics, I am eager to work with my new colleagues across the country to help clients remain competitive in this quickly evolving environment,” Bonilla said in a news release.
The Texas General Counsel Forum recognized Bonilla as the Outstanding General Counsel for a Non-Profit or Government Agency in 2015.
Prior to joining Texas A&M, Bonilla was a founding partner at Ray, Wood & Bonilla. He also previously served as general counsel for the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.
Bonilla received his bachelor of business administration in accounting and his law degree from the University of Texas.