General Counsel Jennifer Lum to Step Down in the Fall
To: The Caltech Community
From: Thomas F. Rosenbaum, Sonja and William Davidow Presidential Chair and Professor of Physics
Jennifer Lum, who has served the Institute with distinction, dedication, wisdom, and grace as Caltech's general counsel since 2019, and deputy general counsel since 2010 when she joined the Institute, will step down from her position in the fall.
The choice of Jennifer's successor will be Ray Jayawardhana's, and in consultation with Ray, I have appointed an Institute-wide search committee to identify exceptional candidates. The committee is composed of trustees Amy Schulman and Maria Hummer-Tuttle, VP for Advancement & Alumni Relations Dexter Bailey (Chair), Chief Investment Officer Ken Lee, Professors Ravi Ravichandran and Paul Sternberg, and JPL Chief of Staff & Director for Laboratory Administration Lisa Haber. Wendy Chin has kindly agreed to staff the committee. The committee will solicit broad input from the Caltech community – both campus and JPL – to inform its deliberations and recommendations.
During her distinguished tenure, Jennifer led the Office of the General Counsel, provided strategic legal guidance to colleagues on campus and at JPL, and advised Institute leadership and the Board of Trustees on matters critical to the Institute's success. She served as principal advisor on the JPL prime contract with NASA, as a key guide across campus and JPL administrative operations, and as a steady, unifying presence in all legal matters affecting governance, policy, and major research collaborations. Jennifer's leadership, integrity, commitment, and collaborative approach have been instrumental in supporting the Institute's mission and governance.
Jennifer's impact has extended well beyond legal advice. She has served Caltech admirably as a member of senior management, contributing broadly to discussions of policy and potential opportunities to improve the operations of the Institute, and to advance its wider interests. I have depended on Jennifer's steadfast defense of the Institute, its values, and her devotion to our students, postdoctoral scholars, faculty, and staff both on campus and at JPL.
Prior to joining Caltech's Office of the General Counsel, she served as a United States Magistrate Judge in the Central District of California, handling both civil and criminal matters. Jennifer was previously an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles, where she served as Chief of the Major Frauds Section. Earlier in her career, she served as a law clerk for U.S. District Judge Dickran Tevrizian and was in private practice in Los Angeles, where she focused on general business litigation. Jennifer received a bachelor's degree in political science and French from the University of Southern California and received a juris doctorate from Cornell University.
We will have an opportunity as a community to celebrate Jennifer's contributions later this year. For the time being, please join me in thanking Jennifer for all that she has done and continues to do for Caltech.