Related Professionals
PRINCETON, NJ, October 22, 2026 – Stevens & Lee announced today that Elyse G. Crawford has joined the firm as a Shareholder in its Higher Education Group and Real Estate Department. She is based in the firm’s Princeton office.
Ms. Crawford advises institutions of higher education and their leaders on a broad range of matters, including compliance, student issues, complex contracting, strategic planning, real estate, construction, facilities and capital projects, procurement, athletics, health care and the legal and regulatory aspects of mergers, acquisitions and affiliations. She brings nearly a decade of experience serving in the general counsel office of both a large public research university and a nationally recognized private Catholic university.
“Elyse brings a combination of sophisticated legal counsel and practical in-house experience to the higher education setting,” said Stevens & Lee President and CEO William P. Thornton, Jr. “Her understanding of the legal, operational and stakeholder issues facing colleges and universities will be an important asset to our higher education clients. We are very pleased to welcome her to Stevens & Lee.”
Ms. Crawford has advised colleges and universities on complex contracting matters, risk management and contractor relationships, as well as legal issues that arise across academic and operational functions. She also has counseled institutions through mergers, acquisitions and post-merger integration, including affiliations with other colleges and universities, academic medical centers, research enterprises and health care organizations.
Drawing on her background in construction and real estate development, Ms. Crawford also assists clients in drafting and negotiating contracts and provides counsel on legal issues affecting the financial, timeline, operational and stakeholder goals of capital and development projects. Her experience includes advising on project structure, contractor relationships, risk allocation and insurance requirements, as well as issues that arise throughout capital project lifecycle. Ms. Crawford earned her J.D. from Villanova University School of Law and her B.A. from Villanova University.
