WASHINGTON, June 13, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe (D-VA) announced today that he has appointed Cohen Milstein partner S. Douglas Bunch to the Board of Visitors of the College of William & Mary. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Virginia General Assembly.

“I am extremely honored. It is a privilege to serve on William & Mary’s Board, and a unique opportunity to contribute to an institution that has had such a deep impact on my life,” said Mr. Bunch. “I thank Governor McAuliffe for his trust and his confidence.”

William & Mary, located in Williamsburg, Va., was established by Royal Charter in 1693 and is the second oldest college – and first law school – in the nation. It is one of eight U.S. institutions to be designated a “public ivy,” and has consistently been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s top public universities. Included among its alumni are three presidents of the United States, namely Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and John Tyler. Former Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates currently serves as the College’s Chancellor. The College’s Board of Visitors, which governs the university, is composed of seventeen individuals appointed to four-year terms by the Governor of Virginia.

A member of Phi Beta Kappa, Mr. Bunch graduated summa cum laude from the College of William & Mary in 2002, where he earned a B.A. in Government and Classical Studies. Subsequently, Mr. Bunch attended Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, from which he graduated in 2003 with an Ed.M. in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy. Following his return to William & Mary, Mr. Bunch earned a J.D. from William & Mary Law School in 2006.

Mr. Bunch joined Cohen Milstein in 2006 and became a partner of the Firm in January 2016. He is a member of the Firm’s Securities Litigation & Investor Protection practice, where he litigates federal securities class actions on behalf of defrauded investors. He was instrumental in successfully litigating the suits that followed in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, including on behalf of public pension funds and other institutions that purchased defectively-issued mortgage-backed securities. For the past two consecutive years, Mr. Bunch has been named a "Rising Star" in Securities Litigation by Super Lawyersmagazine. Mr. Bunch is also co-founder and chairman of Global Playground, Inc., a nonprofit that builds schools in the developing world, and serves on the board of Virginia21, an organization that advocates on behalf of the interests of college and university students in Virginia. In 2011, Mr. Bunch received William & Mary Law School’s inaugural W. Taylor Reveley III award, recognizing alumni who have demonstrated a sustained commitment to public service.

For more information about Mr. Bunch or Cohen Milstein, visit www.cohenmilstein.com.