Chief Campus Counsel Christopher Patti was involved in a fatal accident while biking in Sonoma County on Sunday, according to a statement released by Chancellor Carol Christ on Monday morning.

Patti served as UC Berkeley’s campus counsel for the past seven years and was “a nationally recognized leader in higher education law,” Christ said in her statement. Prior to working on campus, Patti worked in the Office of the General Counsel at the UC Office of the President for 10 years, starting in 1990.

“He loved this institution with all his heart, and his knowledge, compassion, and integrity made him an extraordinary public servant and an incredible colleague,” Christ said in her statement. “We offer our sincere sympathies to his family, as well as to the many individuals within our community who worked with Chris and who, like me, considered him a dear friend.”