UNC board retains 2 law firms in lawsuit over House Bill 2

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — The University of North Carolina system has hired two law firms to defend it against a federal lawsuit over House Bill 2.

A statement issued Friday said the UNC system retained Jones Day and Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr to provide legal services to the system and the UNC Board of Governors.

WRAL-TV in Raleigh reports (http://bit.ly/1NSIfik) Board of Governors Chairman Louis Bissette sent a letter to North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper demanding that the attorney general's office set aside money to pay UNC's legal bills.

In March, Cooper said his office wouldn't defend the state in challenges to the law. His office didn't immediately respond to a request on Friday for comment.

The statement said non-state funds and state appropriations would pay for outside legal fees.

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The Gayly 5/27/2016 @ 3:55 p.m. CDT