Ellen Gish

Associate General Counsel

Ellen Gish is Associate General Counsel for Academics, Finance, Students, and Athletics.  Prior to joining the Office of Legal Counsel in 2020, Ellen spent four years in the University’s Office of Philanthropy, serving most recently as Senior Associate Director and Associate General Counsel for Gift and Estate Planning. 

As Associate General Counsel, Ellen advises the University on various business transactional, legislative and regulatory issues.  Her primary areas of practice include real estate, procurement, data privacy, cybersecurity, and international partnerships.  She also is experienced in philanthropy matters including charitable gift and estate planning, individual, corporate and foundation gift agreements, and non-cash gifts. 

Before joining the University in 2016, Ellen was in private practice for six years at Gordon Derr LLP (now Van Ness Feldman LLP) in Seattle, Washington, and Latham and Watkins in Chicago, Illinois, focusing on corporate and commercial real estate transactions.  Ellen also spent four years in grant writing, fundraising and development for the Lexington Philharmonic. 

A native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Ellen received her undergraduate bachelor of arts degree from Cornell University in 1998 (with distinction) and law degree from the University of Michigan in 2003 (cum laude).  Before law school, Ellen worked as a Claims Examiner for the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Division, Office of Vaccine Litigation.  She is currently a member of the Kentucky Bar Association and previously was admitted to the Illinois and Washington bars.

B.A., Cornell University

J.D., University of Michigan