Paul A. Meggett

Paul A. Meggett

Paul A. Meggett

General Counsel

Paul A. Meggett serves as General Counsel at Appalachian State University. As General Counsel, Mr. Meggett supervises and directs all legal services at Appalachian. He also serves as a member of the Chancellor’s Cabinet.  He works collaboratively with campus partners to advance Appalachian’s mission of a just and sustainable future as the premier public undergraduate institution in the state of North Carolina.

EXPERIENCE

In-House Counsel Experience

UNC Health Care System, Associate General Counsel

  • In-house counsel duties and responsibilities covering a wide variety of health law, compliance, self-insurance and risk management issues and transactions.
  • Reviewed, drafted, and negotiated professional services and complex clinical healthcare contracts, including merger and acquisition agreements.
  • Increased speed of transactions by 15%, thereby reducing client costs and improving efficiency and client satisfaction through the creation and administration of a contracts
  • management system.
  • Heightened budgeting accuracy by 10% while cultivating a culture of transactional regulatory compliance by guiding the annual contracts budgeting process in excess of $30
  • Million annually.
  • Analyzed medical malpractice legal claims and litigation for self-insurance fund, and developed strategies for successful outcomes.
  • Developed and implemented system-wide policies, procedures, and programs to enhance workflow and ensure legal and regulatory compliance of healthcare and medical education activities.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Assistant University Counsel – Primary attorney resource for Health Affairs Campus.

  • Extensive experience reviewing, drafting and negotiating complex corporate and clinical healthcare or clinical research contracts in aggregate volume of more than $300 million.
  • Analyzed state tort claims and litigation, and developed strategies for successful outcomes.
  • Developed and implemented policies, procedures, and programs to ensure legal compliance with higher education laws (including Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act,
  • copyright, and export regulations); financial laws (including Gramm-Leach-Bliley and Regulation Z); and health affairs laws (including Stark and Anti-kickback Statute).

Higher Education Faculty Experience – Charlotte School of Law, Interim Dean, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor

  • Expertise in contracts law and tort law.
  • Developed courses on how to conduct commercial and corporate transactions.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law, Adjunct Professor

  • Instruction in the fundamentals of legal reasoning, oral and written communication and appellate advocacy.
  • Legal research instruction focused on 5 specific areas: 1) state statutes, 2) federal statutes, 3) administrative regulations, 4) common law, and 5) secondary resources.

Judicial Clerkship Experience

Supreme Court of North Carolina, Law Clerk for Chief Justice Burley B. Mitchell, Jr.

  • Conducted legal research on cases before the North Carolina Supreme Court.
  • Engaged in chambers conference discussions of cases before the Court assigned to the Chief Justice.
  • Prepared draft opinions for the Chief Justice and press summaries of opinions.

Civic Activities

North Carolina State University

  • Park Scholarship Regional Selection Committee Member — since 2001

Town of Waxhaw

  • Parks, Culture & Recreation Advisory Board Member —2015 to 2018
    • Chair—2017 to 2018
    • Vice Chair—2015 to 2017

Charlotte Housing Authority

  • Volunteer Hearing Officer — 2015 to 2018

Justice Initiatives, Inc.

  • Member of Board of Directors – 2015 to 2017
    • Finance Committee

Union Symphony Society, Inc.

  • Member of Board of Directors — 2014 to 2015
  • Co-chair, Strategic Planning Committee — 2014 to 2015

Orange Congregations in Mission

  • Member of Board of Directors — 2008 to 2011
  • Chair, Strategic Planning Committee — 2009 to 2011

New Hope Elementary School

  • Member of Orange District Re-accreditation Team for Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Accreditation — 2009 to 2010
  • Creation of Community Learning Center for at-risk students — 2009
  • School Improvement Team Parent Representative — 2008 to 2011

Threshold, Inc.

  • Member of Board of Directors – 2006 to 2009
    • Personnel Committee – 2006 to 2009

North Carolina Prisoners Legal Services, Inc.

  • Member of Board of Directors – 2006 to 2008
    • Treasurer – 2007 to 2008

North Carolina Minority Executive Roundtable

  • Cornerstone Member — since 2008

North Carolina Child Welfare Education Collaborative

  • Statewide Advisory Board — Member 2003 to 2006

Education

  • University of North Carolina School of Law, Juris Doctorate
  • North Carolina State University, Bachelor of Science

Bar Admission

  • North Carolina

Professional Affiliations

State Bar of North Carolina

  • Member of Diversity Task Force – 2008 to 2009
  • Advisory Member, Demographics Subcommittee of Issues Committee – 2009
  • Advisory Member, Outreach Subcommittee of Issues Committee – 2009 to 2010

North Carolina Bar Association

  • Judicial Independence and Integrity Committee — 2019
  • Legislative Advisory Committee — 2011 to present
    • Chair — 2011 to 2015
    • Led revision of Office of Governmental Affairs policies and procedures
    • Led legislative strategic plan development
    • Member — 2011 to present
  • Law School Liaison Committee — 2016 to 2018
  • Member of Board of Governors — 2008-2011
    • Executive Committee, 2008, 2010
  • Board Liaison to Education Section Council, 2008 to 2011
  • Chair, Momentum 2010: Joint Diversity Task Force — 2006 to 2010
  • Citizen Lawyer Award – 2009
  • Minorities in the Profession Committee
    • Co-Chair — 2006 to 2008
    • Member — 2003 to 2008, 2011 to present
  • Member of Bar Exam Application Project Subcommittee of the Lawyer
  • Effectiveness & Quality of Life Committee — 2004 to 2006
  • Young Lawyers Division Bar Examination Committee
    • Co-Chair — 2003 to 2004
    • Member — 1999 to 2004
  • Member of Health Law Section — 1998 to 2012
  • Member of Education Law Section — 1998 to 2012, 2019

North Carolina Bar Association Foundation

  • Member of Board of Directors — 2008-2011
  • Executive Committee, 2008, 2010

National Association of College and University Attorneys

  • Member — 1999 to 2011, 2018 to present

American Health Lawyers Association

  • Member — 2008 to 2011

American Bar Association

  • Member — 2011 to 2018

Selected Presentations and Publications

Emerging Legal Issues in College Athletics, September 2019

  • CLE presentation; Watauga County Bar; Boone, NC

North Carolina Health Information Management Association Legal Reference Manual, Ninth Edition
(2016)

Diversity and Inclusion in a Global Society March 2013

  • MCLE presentation; American College of Healthcare Executives; Charlotte, NC

The End of the Beginning?: Healthcare Reform After National Federation of Independent Business v.
Sebelius December 2012

  • CLE/MCLE presentation; Wake AHEC Health Law and Ethics Update 2012; Raleigh, NC

Diversity In The Legal Profession October 2012

  • CLE presentation; North Carolina Central University School of Law; Durham, NC

Diversity in Bar Leadership September 2010

  • CLE presentation; North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys Annual Conference; Greensboro, NC

Health Crisis Management in the Workplace April 2010

  • CLE presentation; 15th Annual National Employment Law Conference; Henderson NV

Leadership Essentials March 2009

  • CLE presentation; North Carolina Bar Association Pathways to Inclusion Leadership Academy; Wake Forest University School of Law, Winston Salem, NC.

Practice Areas

  • Athletics
  • Labor and Employment
  • Laboratory School
  • Real Property
  • Transactional
  • University Governance
  • Utility and Energy

Jennifer D. Chrisohon

Paul A. Meggett

Jennifer D. Chrisohon

Senior Associate General Counsel 

Employment and Transactional

Jennifer Chrisohon is a Senior Associate General Counsel. She began her career at Appalachian in July 2013 as the Assistant General Counsel. Prior to joining the Office of General Counsel, Jennifer served as the Deputy General Counsel to the North Carolina Department of Labor for over 8 years. In this role, Jennifer provided legal advice on personnel issues, federal and state wage and hour laws, State contracts, occupational safety and health and other regulatory areas such as boilers and elevators. Jennifer began her legal career at the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office in the Education Section representing the State institutions of higher education in litigation matters. Jennifer is also a trained mediator and has provided mediation services as a Lead Mediator to the North Carolina Office of State Human Resources and in the Wake County courts.

EXPERIENCE

Education

University of Tennessee College of Law, Juris Doctor 2003
East Tennessee State University, Bachelor of Science Political Science 1999

Bar Admissions

North Carolina

Professional Affiliations

  • North Carolina Bar
  • North Carolina Bar Association
  • Watauga County Bar Association
  • National Association of College and University Attorneys

Practice Groups

  • Higher Education
  • Labor and Employment
  • Laboratory School
  • Real Property
  • Sponsored Research
  • Transactional
  • Utility and Energy

Crawford H. Cleveland III

Crawford H. Cleveland III

Senior Associate General Counsel 

Regulatory and Litigation

Crawford serves as Senior Associate General Counsel for Appalachian State University. He joined the Office of General Counsel in April of 2019. His legal practice areas include litigation, regulatory compliance, student affairs, utility law for New River Light & Power, first amendment law, and public record requests. Prior to joining the University, he was a partner with di Santi, Watson, Capua, Wilson & Garrett, PLLC. He has experience in general civil litigation and has served as a County Attorney for Watauga County.  In addition, he also has in-house counsel experience with a large construction company in Louisiana from his time in New Orleans.

He is active within the North Carolina State Bar and the local bar. The State Bar Council appointed him to a second three-year term in 2023 to serve on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina State Bar Lawyer Assistance Program. In October of 2020, he was elected President of the 35th Judicial District Bar covering a five-county area (Watauga, Avery, Yancey, Madison, Mitchell) for the 2021-2022 term. At the local level, Crawford has served as an officer of the Watauga County Bar Association and a member of the Executive Committee for the past five years. He particularly enjoys his engagement with attorneys in the community and helps organize Continuing Legal Education events for the local bar.

In the High Country, Crawford has served on boards and in leadership positions both in Boone and Blowing Rock. When he is not at work, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Brynn, and their two boys. They like to hike trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway and ski together during the winter season.

 

EXPERIENCE

Education

  • The University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee – B.A. English 
  • Charlotte School of Law, North Carolina – Juris Doctor

Bar Admissions

  • North Carolina

Memberships

  • North Carolina State Bar
  • North Carolina State Bar Association
  • 35th Judicial District Bar, President 2021-2022
  • Watauga County Bar Association, President 2018-2019
  • National Association of College and University Attorneys
  • University of North Carolina System Attorneys Group
  • UNC Executive Leadership Institute, Class of 2024

University Committees

  • Emergency Management Task Force
  • Real Estate Committee
  • Occupational Safety and Health Committee
  • Bias Response Committee

 

Community Service

  • North Carolina State Bar Lawyer Assistance Program, Board of Directors  2020-2026
  • North Carolina Lawyer Assistance Program Foundation, Board of Directors 2020-2026
  • Appalachian Ski Mountain, Ski Patrol 2022-2023
  • St. Mary of the Hills Episcopal Church, Blowing Rock, Vestry 2018-2020
  • Watauga County Children’s Council, Board of Directors 2016-2019
  • Boone Sunrise Rotary 2016-2018

Practice Groups

  • Higher Education
  • Litigation
  • Real Property
  • Student Affairs
  • Transactional
  • Utility and Energy

Sarah Rupp

Sarah Rupp

 Associate General Counsel

Real Property

Sarah joined the Office of General Counsel in 2022. Her primary area of practice for the University is real estate. Prior to joining the General Counsel’s Office, Sarah was in private practice in Boone where she focused primarily on real estate transactions. She spent the beginning of her career in Washington, D.C., working in commercial real estate, including purchase and sale, leasing, and financing transactions. Sarah graduated from Cornell University and Duke University School of Law. When not in the office, she enjoys spending time outside with her husband and three children.

EXPERIENCE

Education

  • Cornell University 
  • Duke University, Juris Doctor

Bar Admissions

  • North Carolina

Professional Affiliations

  • North Carolina State Bar
  • North Carolina State Bar Association
  • 35th Judicial District Bar
  • Watauga County Bar Association
  • National Association of College and University Attorneys
  • University of North Carolina System Attorneys Group

 Practice Groups

  • Real Property
  • Transactional
  • Utility and Energy

Meghan Wills

Meghan Wills

Assistant General Counsel

Meghan started as Assistant General Counsel for Appalachian State University in
August of 2021. Her primary areas of practice for the University are Public Records
Requests, Policy, and advising the University’s Academy at Middle Fork. She came from
the Watauga County District Attorney’s Office where she served as Assistant District
Attorney. Prior to the District Attorney’s Office, Meghan worked in private practice. She
has worked on a variety of matters including litigation, personal injury, and contract
disputes. Meghan received her Bachelor of Arts from Bridgewater College in 2013, and
her Juris Doctor from the Elon University School of Law in 2015. She is very active in the
Watauga County Bar Association, serving as Treasurer, and enjoys family adventures
with her husband and two children.

EXPERIENCE

Education

  • Elon University School of Law, Juris Doctor
  • Bridgewater College, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

Bar Admissions

  • North Carolina

Professional Affiliations

  • North Carolina State Bar
  • 35th Judicial District Bar
  • Watauga County Bar Association

Practice Groups

  • Higher Education
  • Public Records
  • Laboratory School
  • Litigation
  • Student Affairs
  • Athletics
  • Transactional

Melissa Blocker

Paul A. Meggett

Melissa Blocker

Director of Legal and Compliance Operations

Melissa Blocker began working as a Paralegal in the Office of General Counsel in March 2020 and began serving as Director of Legal and Compliance Operations in 2022. Melissa currently serves as the Ethics Liaison between Appalachian and the North Carolina State Ethics Commission.  Before joining Appalachian State, she worked in a criminal defense law firm, assisting with numerous and various types of criminal matters. Melissa has worked in several facets of the legal field, including as a Mediator, certified by the Dispute Resolution Commission of North Carolina, wherein she successfully mediated many cases involving domestic, juvenile, civil, and criminal law issues. Melissa also served as Program Coordinator in the 24th Judicial District of North Carolina, for the Sentencing Services Program, which is organized under the Office of Indigent Defense Services of North Carolina, wherein she developed and helped implement many incarceration diversion plan(s) and other sentencing and rehabilitation options. Melissa received her undergraduate degree from Appalachian State (Bachelor of Science in Political Science, magna cum laude) and her Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal Technology from Caldwell Community College. She is a member of the North Carolina State Bar Association Paralegal and criminal law sections. Melissa is involved in the community with school sports programs, particularly basketball with her son and husband. She loves to camp (or glamp in an RV) with her family, attend Appalachian Basketball games, and is proud to be a part of the Appalachian community.

EXPERIENCE

Education

  • Appalachian State University, Bachelor of Science in Political Science (magna cum laude), 2000
  • Caldwell Community College, Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal Technology, 1998

Professional Affiliations

  • NC Bar Association Paralegal and criminal law sections
  • Association of College and University Policy Administrators
  • National Association of College and University Business Officers
  • Corporate Legal Operations Consortium

Practice Groups

  • Higher Education
  • Litigation (eDiscovery, Torts, Workers’ Compensation)
  • Real Property
  • Transactional
  • University Governance