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Melissa Reardon Henry, general counsel to William Paterson University and its Board of Trustees, was named a 2024 NJBIZ 2024 Leaders in Law honoree. The award honors legal professionals and firms whose dedication to the industry and to their communities is outstanding.
The NJBIZ Leaders in Law honorees were chosen by a panel of independent judges with experience in the justice system. Reardon Henry was one of 63 legal professionals across the state who were honored.
“We are proud of Melissa Reardon Henry for this well-deserved recognition,” says President Richard J. Helldobler. “I have had the privilege of working in higher education for over 30 years and have yet to come to know a better university general counsel. William Paterson and I have benefited greatly from her wise counsel, which is especially valuable as the environment in which all of higher education operates becomes increasingly complex.”
As general counsel to William Paterson University, a regional public university with nearly 10,000 students, and the Board of Trustees, Reardon Henry advises the president, the Board of Trustees, and University administrators. Her role requires a breadth and depth of experience in a wide range of issues, including compliance with federal, state, and local laws; labor and employment matters; compliance with collective bargaining agreements; contracts; procurement; crisis management; coordination with outside legal representation, and much more.
Reardon Henry joined the University in January 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic as the University dealt with changing health protocols, remote work and academic instruction, and financial challenges. She immediately established herself as a trusted and enthusiastic member of the team, available for around-the-clock consultation and focused on identifying opportunities for collaboration and business improvement and efficiency. With more than three decades of experience spanning positions at the federal and state levels, as well as in higher education, she espouses a philosophy of collegiality.
Prior to joining William Paterson, Reardon Henry served as vice president for legal affairs and general counsel at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago from 2012 to 2021. Earlier, she held positions as director of employee relations at Purdue University, senior staff attorney for labor and employment ay the City Colleges of Chicago, chief assistant corporate counsel for the City of Chicago Department of Law, and a lawyer with the labor and discipline unit of the City of Chicago Board of Education.
Previously, she held legal roles with the United States Postal Service, the Office of Cook County State’s Attorney, and the Central States Health and Welfare Pension Funds. She began her career at the United States Department of Labor.
A graduate of the University of Chicago, Reardon Henry holds a law degree from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
