Paul Pineau named general counsel and secretary at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Paul Pineau, who has spent more than nine years as senior vice president and general counsel at Johns Hopkins University, has been named the next general counsel and secretary at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. He will assume his new role on March 10.

Pineau, a Baltimore native, joined Johns Hopkins in 2014 as vice provost for strategic initiatives after previously serving as chief of staff to the Baltimore City state's attorney and a special assistant state's attorney. He was named JHU's senior vice president and general counsel in 2015. In that role, he has served as a trusted counselor on legal matters for the university's board of trustees and leadership while also assisting in the development and implementation of universitywide policy.

"With uncompromising integrity, fearless leadership, and boundless good cheer, Paul has helped lead this institution in an ever more challenging landscape for higher education and academic medicine," JHU President Ron Daniels wrote in a message announcing Pineau's departure.

"We know that Paul will bring to the Met his signature mix of expansive legal acumen, sound judgment, incisive intellect, and unflagging energy. While we will sorely miss Paul's daily leadership and exceptional collegiality, we are proud of his appointment at one of the world's great cultural institutions and will benefit from his lasting impact here at Hopkins."

As JHU's general counsel, Pineau has helped the university manage and navigate complex legal matters in areas including intellectual property to anti-trust, while also driving policy changes to support key university priorities, including pay equity, public safety, free expression, and academic freedom. He played a critical role in ensuring the safe evacuation of Hopkins-affiliated individuals from Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal in August 2021.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity to work alongside so many talented and dedicated people in support the university's mission," Pineau said, "and to lead a truly exceptional team of attorneys committed to protecting and advancing the university's interests across a range of areas of legal expertise."

As general counsel and secretary at the Met, Pineau will serve as the museum's principal legal officer. He will succeed Sharon Cott, who is retiring after 37 years at the Met.

"We are delighted to welcome Paul Pineau to the Met," Met director and CEO Max Hollein said. "He brings exemplary legal skills and expertise, with demonstrated success in providing strategic leadership and counsel amid complex challenges. His thoughtful approach will be an invaluable asset to the museum, and we are confident that Paul will be a strong partner in advancing the museum's mission and institutional goals."

Deputy General Counsel Tiffany Wright will serve as JHU's general counsel on an interim basis as the university begins a search for Pineau's successor. Wright, an accomplished appellate lawyer recently elected to the prestigious American Law Institute, joined the General Counsel's Office in 2023, having previously served as associate counsel for racial justice and equity in the Office of the White House Counsel. In that role, she provided strategic and legal advice to the president, vice president, and senior White House advisors on an array of legal issues, including Title IX, gender and LGBTQ+ equity, reproductive rights, clemency, and religious liberty. At Hopkins, Wright has been integral to the management of all aspects of the university's legal portfolio, ranging from JHUs response to the 2023 SCOTUS decision on affirmative action to managing litigation on antitrust and title IX, to handling complex labor and human resources issues.

Prior to joining the White House, Wright directed the Civil Rights Clinic at the Howard University School of Law and practiced in the Supreme Court and Appellate practices at two international law firms. After earning her JD magna cum laude at Georgetown University Law Center, she served as law clerk for Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor at the U.S. Supreme Court.