Lilianna Kalin New General Counsel at College of DuPage

Lilianna Kalin has been appointed General Counsel at College of DuPage, where she oversees all legal matters at the institution.

Kalin, who joined the College as assistant general counsel, said she is honored to have been chosen by the College’s Board of Trustees from a pool of nearly 90 candidates.

“I’ve gained crucial experience and built a solid foundation as assistant general counsel for the College over the last three years and I look forward to bringing that experience to this role,” she said.

In addition to dealing with the College’s day-to-day legal needs and processes, Kalin said she hopes to bring more attention to the College’s legal office.

“I want to elevate the office in terms of its standing among other community colleges both regionally and nationally,” she said. “As the second largest institution of higher education in Illinois, there is a great opportunity to position COD as a leader in legal issues pertinent to higher education and community colleges in particular.”

Before joining the College, Kalin served as a criminal prosecutor and an assistant state’s attorney for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in Chicago. She also worked as senior labor and employment counsel for the Cook County Health and Hospitals System where, as lead negotiator, she negotiated with more than a dozen separate unions covering nearly two dozen collective bargaining agreements. She earned her Juris Doctor from Chicago-Kent College of Law.

“We are thrilled to welcome Lilianna Kalin to the position of General Counsel for College of DuPage,” said COD Board Chairman Frank Napolitano. “Her legal expertise and experience both within and outside the College is outstanding. She has a remarkable vision to make the College’s legal office a prominent voice in higher education, which is a substantial asset to the institution.”

Kalin said she enjoys the variety her role at the College brings.

“Every day is different, meeting new people and facing new challenges,” she said. “I like being a part of the bigger picture where the College community is doing something great, whether by helping someone learning English, making a positive change in an individual’s career or life, or chasing their educational goals. It’s wonderful to be a part of that.”

COD President Dr. Brian Caputo also expressed his endorsement of Kalin’s appointment. “Lily’s contribution to the College in her prior roles was exceptional. She has provided excellent legal advice and tireless support to the institution. Given her extraordinary professional skills and potential, I am confident that her contributions in the future will be even greater.”

Kalin said that while the new role is a clear progression of her career and her interests, the opportunity for the position was unexpected.

“I’ve focused my entire legal profession in the public sector. It’s something I really believe in and I’m grateful to continue that at COD,” she said. “Starting here three years ago, I didn’t foresee that I would be given this awesome opportunity. I’m looking forward to this next chapter.”