I get email:
Dear members of the Brandeis community,
I am pleased to announce that David A. Bunis, ’83 will be joining the university on Feb. 1, 2011 as Chief of Staff. I first met David about 20 years ago when we worked together on the Civil Rights Committee of the Anti-Defamation League and I was impressed with his judgment, integrity and dedication. Since then, we have had occasion to work together on a number of projects and my esteem has grown.
A 1987 graduate of the Boston University School of Law, David has been a partner at Dwyer & Collora, LLP, in Boston for two decades, serving as counsel to a variety of clients including high tech companies, financial institutions and non-profits. In his law practice, David represented individuals and institutions in trials before state and federal courts, mediation and arbitration panels and government agencies.
For many years, he represented Tufts University and became intimately familiar with the myriad issues affecting colleges and universities. That experience, his time as a Brandeis undergraduate, and some of the decades-long relationships he has maintained with alumni, faculty and staff will serve him well as he immerses himself in the university.
During my discussions with David about returning to his alma mater to manage and coordinate the activities of my office, it was clear that the spirit of Brandeis inspired his professional life and work. In fact, his page on his law firm’s website contains a quote from an opinion Justice Brandeis wrote in 1927 advocating free speech and underscoring the importance of courage and leadership in a thriving democracy. In addition to his work for the ADL, where he served as chair of the Civil Rights Committee and a member of both the New England Regional Executive Board and as an ADL National Commissioner, David currently serves on a pro bono basis as a judge for administrative appeals for the Massachusetts Office of Minority and Women’s Business Affairs. David has also worked as an attorney at Greater Boston Legal Services, New England’s largest legal services organization, where he represented low-income families facing eviction.
On a personal note, David is married to Jacqueline Hallo, ’82. The couple, who met when they were undergraduates, celebrated the bar and bat mitzvahs of their three children at Brandeis. The family lives in Newton, where David is vice president and a member of the board of directors of Temple Emanuel of Newton.
In an email after accepting the position, he wrote: “I am thrilled to be returning to Brandeis. Although years have passed and much has changed at Brandeis since my graduation, my pulse still quickens as I turn off South Street onto campus. The university has always been a very special place for me, and our large circle of friends is full of Brandeis alums. I am excited about working with trustees, faculty, students, alumni and staff who are the heart and soul of this great institution.”
I know you will join me in welcoming back to campus a life-long member of the Brandeis community and I know he will make a significant contribution in his new role at the university. His email address is dbunis@brandeis.edu.
Fred Lawrence
President