PRESS RELEASES

Academic Career & Executive Search (ACES) selected by Massachusetts Community Colleges for General Counsel Search

(July 24, 2026, WEST HARTFORD, CT) Academic Career & Executive Search (ACES), a leading higher education focused executive search firm, has been selected to recruit the next General Counsel for the Massachusetts Community Colleges.  Jennifer Muller, Managing Partner, will be leading the search.

The next General Counsel for the Massachusetts Community Colleges will lead a highly respected legal office serving all fifteen public community colleges and provide legal advice to presidents on issues including labor, governance, and policy shaping higher education across the Commonwealth. Unlike a traditional campus General Counsel position, this role offers the rare opportunity to provide impactful legal strategy across a statewide system while assisting presidents, boards of trustees, and senior leaders to navigate some of public higher education’s most complex challenges. The successful candidate will combine exceptional legal judgment with outstanding leadership and management skills. Beyond serving as the chief legal advisor, the next General Counsel will lead and develop an experienced legal team, strengthen the systems that support the delivery of legal services across a complex statewide organization, and serve as a trusted advisor to fifteen college presidents. The ideal candidate will value the mission of community colleges and the transformative impact they have on students, families, and communities.

This position reports to the Chair of the Council of Community College Presidents and leads the General Counsel’s Office, located on the Bedford Campus of Middlesex Community College. The Office includes a team of seven attorneys as well as professional staff serving all fifteen Massachusetts Community Colleges. Bedford is a historic New England community located just 15 miles northwest of Boston. Known for its highly regarded public schools, abundant conservation land, and Revolutionary War heritage, Bedford offers the character and convenience of suburban New England with easy access to Boston, Cambridge, and one of the nation’s premier regions for higher education, healthcare, technology, and innovation.

The Massachusetts Community Colleges comprise the largest segment of the Commonwealth’s public higher education system, serving students across its fifteen community colleges committed to affordable access, workforce development, transfer opportunities, and economic mobility. Today, the colleges are at the forefront of statewide efforts to expand educational opportunities through initiatives such as MassEducate, positioning the system for continued growth and innovation. Driven by a mission of access, opportunity, and student success, the colleges transform the lives of students, families, and communities while strengthening the Commonwealth’s workforce and economy. 

Affordable Excellence 

Academic Career & Executive Search, a higher education focused search firm, specializes in affordable excellence, providing perfectly matched candidates to institutions quickly and accurately. Their methodologies, based on frequent touchpoints, pinpoint ideal candidates with speed and meticulous care resulting in highly successful placements.

They offer flexible service/pricing levels for all positions, ensuring affordability.

Contact Jennifer Muller, Managing Partner, at 860-740-2600 or Jennifer@ACESrch.com, or visit https://acesrch.com/.