Staff

Laura W. Johnston
Deputy General Counsel
Room 4265 FAB
l.johnston@wayne.edu

Laura Johnston has been with the Office of the General Counsel since 1998.  She is a graduate of Oberlin College and has a law degree from the University of Michigan.  She works primarily in the areas of intellectual property and research support, reviewing and negotiating a wide range of agreements with sponsors, collaborators, licensees and vendors, as well as consulting on issues relating to patents, copyright, trademarks, library acquisitions, publishing activities and software purchasing and development.

Ms. Johnston came to Wayne State from Comshare, Inc., where she was Senior Counsel.  Prior to that she was an associate with Clark, Klein and Beaumont practicing in the employee benefits area.

Pamela R. Galloway
Associate General Counsel
Room 4251 FAB
pamela.galloway@wayne.edu

Pamela Galloway came to the Office of the General Counsel in 1994.  She is a graduate of the University of Michigan and has a law degree from Wayne State University.  Ms. Galloway represents the University in a wide variety of transactional matters, including real estate, affiliation agreements and worker's compensation.  She is an advisor and member of several University committees, including the Human Investigations Committee, and the Loss Prevention Committee.

Prior to coming to Wayne State, Ms. Galloway worked as Assistant City Attorney for the City of Highland Park, Michigan and as a staff attorney for Wayne County Neighborhood Legal Services.

Thomas Cavalier
Associate General Counsel
Room 4249 FAB
thomas.cavalier@wayne.edu

Thomas Cavalier joined the Office of the General Counsel in 2012.  Mr. Cavalier earned his undergraduate degree, with great distinction, from the University of California at Berkeley, and both a master's degree (Philosophy) and a law degree from the University of Michigan.  Mr. Cavalier advised the University on a wide variety of compliance matters.

Before coming to Wayne, Mr. Cavalier was in private practice, where he specialized in business litigation, appellate work and commercial contracts.

Julie A. Rajzer

Associate General Counsel
Room 4267 FAB
julie.rajzer@wayne.edu

Julie A. Rajzer joined the Office of the General Counsel in 2014.  She received her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and her law degree, cum laude, from Michigan State University College of Law.  Ms. Rajzer represents the University in a wide range of matters with a focus on transactional and intellectual property (IP) matters.

Prior to joining the Office of the General Counsel, Ms. Rajzer was the Intellectual Property and Contracts Administrator for the University's Technology Commercialization office where she advised and assisted in the protection of the University's IP, negotiated and managed the contractual agreements for the University's IP, negotiated IP terms in research agreements, and managed the transfer of research materials in and out of the University.  Prior to coming to Wayne State, she was an associate at both Butzel Long and Clark Hill PLC practicing primarily IP law.

Kristen Cook 
Associate General Counsel
Room 4283 FAB 
kristen.cook@wayne.edu

Kristen Cook joined the Office of the General Counsel in 2018. She received her undergraduate degree, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with University Honors, from the University of Michigan.  She earned her law degree, cum laude, from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.  Ms. Cook represents the University in a wide variety of litigation and administrative matters.

Prior to coming to Wayne State, Ms. Cook was in private practice at Kitch Drutchas Wagner Valitutti & Sherbrook.  She specialized in representing employers in all aspects of labor and employment litigation and consultation, including in arbitration, state and federal court, and before administrative agencies. 

Christopher R. Gura 

Assistant General Counsel
Room 4256 FAB 
cgura@wayne.edu

Christopher Gura joined the Office of General Counsel in 2024.  Mr. Gura received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University, and his law degree from University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.  Mr. Gura represents the University in a wide variety of litigation, labor and employment matters.

Prior to coming to Wayne State, Mr. Gura was in private practice with Abbott Nicholson, P.C., where he specialized in business litigation and employment law representing clients in all facets of dispute resolution.

 

Whitley Granberry 
Assistant General Counsel
Room 4259 FAB 
whitley.granberry@wayne.edu

Whitley Granberry joined the Office of the General Counsel in 2024.  She received a Bachelor of Arts in English and Comparative Literature from Columbia University and her law degree from American University’s Washington College of Law.  Ms. Granberry represents the University in a wide array of transactional matters. 

Ms. Granberry came to Wayne State from the Detroit Justice Center, where she was a Senior Staff Attorney specializing in transactional, small business matters for Detroit-based worker-owned cooperatives, community land trusts, and nonprofits.  Before that, she handled a variety of litigation and other matters in Dykema Gosset’s Detroit office.