Kelly Capen Douglas, Esq.
General Counsel
Kelly Capen Douglas is the general counsel at Santa Clara University where she serves as the university’s chief legal officer and is responsible for managing and overseeing all legal affairs for the university. Reporting to the president, Kelly works closely and collaboratively with other members of the university’s leadership team, the Board of Trustees, and stakeholders from across the university.
Prior to joining Santa Clara University in April 2023, Kelly served as the President & CEO of Voices for Children, the nonprofit organization designated by the San Diego and Riverside Superior Courts to recruit and supervise specially-trained community volunteers who advocate for children living in the foster care system. From 2005-2019, Kelly served as the general counsel at the University of San Diego, where she was the university’s first in-house legal counsel and oversaw all legal affairs for the campus. Prior to joining USD, Kelly was a partner at Luce Forward Hamilton & Scripps LLP in San Diego, where she specialized in employment law, served as the leader of the labor and employment law practice group, and was a frequent speaker to various human resources and business organizations.
Kelly has been an active member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys. She served on NACUA’s Board of Directors from 2011-2014, chaired and served on numerous NACUA committees, and has regularly served as a speaker or moderator for NACUA programs. An engaged community volunteer, Kelly served on the board of directors of various nonprofit organizations, including Goodwill Industries of San Diego County, the National Conflict Resolution Center, and Christ Church Day School. She currently is a trustee at The Bishop’s School in San Diego. Kelly has received various honors for her professional and community contributions, including NACUA’s First Decade Award, Goodwill’s Volunteer of the Year award, and the San Diego Business Journal’s General Counsel of the Year Award.
Kelly earned her bachelor’s degree in international relations from Stanford University. She received her J.D. degree with high honors from the Duke University School of Law, where she earned membership in the Order of the Coif and was selected as the outstanding woman law graduate. Ms. Douglas and her husband JD have two adult children, Courtney and Collin.
