Leslie Darling Appointed Executive Vice President and General Counsel

Leslie Darling has been appointed executive vice president and general counsel of the Art Institute of Chicago, overseeing legal operations for both the School and museum. Darling’s appointment will fill the vacancy left by former Executive Vice President and General Counsel Julie Getzels. Darling will begin her position on January 6, 2020.

Darling has extensive experience managing diverse legal issues in the nonprofit, public, and private sectors. She most recently served as the chief executive officer of the Chicago Infrastructure Trust (CIT), where she oversaw the strategic planning and implementation of innovative and complex infrastructure projects for the City of Chicago. Prior to her role at CIT, she served as first assistant corporation counsel for the City of Chicago Department of Law, where she led 14 legal divisions comprising 250 attorneys managing the City of Chicago’s legal business. She provided strategic advice to elected officials and department heads on legal, legislative, and policy matters. Before joining the City of Chicago Department of Law, Darling was in private practice as a partner at Ungaretti & Harris LLP and an associate at Mayer Brown. Darling holds a Juris Doctor from DePaul University and a Bachelor’s of Science from Bradley University.