Srini Medi | University of Phoenix and Phoenix Education Partners
Building trust
Srini has focused on building the department for long-term strength, with responsibility shared across the team. Today, at the University the legal function includes roughly 30 professionals across Legal, Compliance & Ethics, and Regulatory Reporting.
The goal was not just organizational efficiency. It was about building a culture where expertise and judgment sit closer to the work.“ Over the past six years, I have focused on building a leadership team rather than a department that depends on one person. We created four Deputy General Counsel roles with clear responsibilities and moved decisionmaking closer to the people who do the work.”
Under Srini’ s leadership, the department improved coordination between Legal, Regulatory Reporting, and Compliance & Ethics, bringing teams together earlier in the decisionmaking process.“ By addressing issues together and engaging the business earlier, we have reduced silos, improved decision-making, and become better partners to the University.” That operating model proved critical as the University navigated two major strategic transaction processes and, ultimately, Phoenix Education Partners’ successful 2025 IPO. Srini and his team helped manage the associated transaction, regulatory, governance, disclosure, and publiccompany readiness work, while keeping attorney headcount flat as those responsibilities expanded.
Srini affirms,“ The real strength of the department is the team. They are the stars. They bring sound judgment, deep expertise, and real commitment to the University’ s mission. My job is to set clear expectations, remove obstacles, and create an environment where they can do their best work.”
The line between legal advisor and business partner often appears in unexpected ways. For Srini, being a trusted counsel takes more than legal knowledge. It means understanding how colleagues think, what they are trying to achieve, and where legal advice fits into bigger business goals.
One conversation from an earlier role still stands out.“ One day, the Chief Marketing Officer came into my office, described a proposed campaign, and asked what I thought. After listening, I said I did not see a legal issue. She explained she was not asking as a lawyer. She wanted my general perspective, because she valued my judgment.
“ That exchange stuck with me because it shows what it means to be a true trusted advisor. An effective in-house lawyer cannot just know the law. You must understand how the business works, what each function wants to accomplish, and how the company makes money, serves customers, and manages risk.”
The real strength of the department is the team. They are the stars. They bring sound judgment, deep expertise, and real commitment to the University’ s mission modern-counsel. com 49