John Dowling

John Dowling is senior university legal counsel emeritus, having retired from the Office of Legal Affairs in July 2014. During his 18+ years at UW-Madison, John’s legal practice touched almost every aspect of the university. He was always involved in employment matters, working on a daily basis with all levels of the university’s administration, faculty and staff, including the chancellor’s office, the provost, vice chancellors, deans and directors.

In addition to employment matters, John’s work at UW-Madison included serving as the primary contact for public records and open meetings, constitutional issues, and policies on the use of university facilities. For many years, he also served as the primary legal advisor for the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics.

During his career, John served on many committees of the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA) and made many presentations to legal colleagues and other university administrators. In his retirement, John has reinvigorated his lifelong love of music, playing the double bass and serving on the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras (WYSO).