Marilyn Holifield Elected to Harvard University’s Board of Overseers

MIAMI (May 30, 2018) — Holland & Knight Partner Marilyn Holifield was elected to Harvard University's Board of Overseers for a six-year term. Ms. Holifield is a graduate of Harvard Law School (class of 1972) and served as elected director of the Harvard Alumni Association for three years and on its Executive Committee for six years. She is also a director of the Harvard Club of Miami and a member of the Harvard Black Alumni Society of South Florida.

Ms. Holifield is one of six new Overseers elected from a slate of eight candidates nominated by the Harvard Alumni Association and the first person from South Florida in more than 60 years to be elected to this Board.

By charter, Harvard has two governing boards—the President and Fellows of Harvard College (also known as the Corporation) and the Board of Overseers. The primary function of the Board of Overseers is to encourage the university to maintain the highest attainable standards as a place of learning. Drawing on the diverse experience and expertise of its members, the board exerts broad influence over the university's strategic direction and provides counsel to the university's leadership on priorities and plans.

Ms. Holifield practices in the general litigation area, with a specific emphasis on representing corporate clients. Her practice includes employment, business litigation, corporate governance, trade secrets, covenants-not-to-compete, class action and intellectual property litigation.

Ms. Holifield is a recipient of the Anti-Defamation League's Jurisprudence Award and the National Bar Association's Gertrude E. Rush Award. She also serves on the executive committee of the board of trustees of the University of Miami and board of managers of Swarthmore College. She has served on the board of trustees of Pérez Art Museum Miami and is co-founder of the Miami Museum of Contemporary Art of the African Diaspora.