Legal Counsel Staff

A headshot of Shari smiling wearing a suit and necklace with a grey backdrop behind her

Shari F. Crittendon

Vice President and General Counsel
718-817-3117
scrittendon@fordham.edu

Shari Crittendon joined the Office of Legal Counsel in August 2024. As Vice President and General Counsel, Ms. Crittendon oversees legal, strategic, and governance matters. She previously held similar roles at Kansas State University, and the Constitutional Law Center for Muslims in America.   

Ms. Crittendon was also vice president, general counsel, and secretary of the corporation of the United Negro College Fund, Inc., known as UNCF, where she served as strategic advisor and counsel to the president and CEO, senior management and the board of directors regarding legal, regulatory, governance and legislative matters. Earlier in her career, she was assistant general counsel at Morgan State University and practiced in the commercial litigation groups of two Mid-Atlantic law firms.

Ms. Crittendon is a recognized expert in higher education law and an active member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA), where she has presented at the 2022 and 2023 NACUA conferences and serves on the Committee of Membership and Membership Services and the Committee on Program for Annual Conference. Ms. Crittendon has spoken on higher education law at the annual conferences of the National Bar Association and the Corporate Counsel Women of Color.

Ms. Crittendon received her bachelor's degree in communication and rhetorical studies/public policy from Syracuse University, and her law degree from the Francis King Carey School of Law at the University of Maryland.

Beth Falk Fagin, Esq.

Senior Associate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel
718-817-3441
bfagin@fordham.edu

Beth Fagin joined the Office of Legal Counsel in February 2016. As Associate Counsel, Ms. Fagin concentrates on labor and employment law and other workplace issues and provides advice effectuating the University's internal policies and procedures. Ms. Fagin represents the University's interests in employment and student-related litigation and administrative proceedings.

Prior to joining Fordham, Ms. Fagin served as an employment and human resources consultant with Portnoy, Messinger & Pearl/Alan B. Pearl & Associates providing the firm's clients with legal advice, developing employment policies, conducting workplace investigations, and assisting with statutory and regulatory compliance. Prior to her tenure at Portnoy, Messinger & Pearl, Ms. Fagin served as in-house employment and labor counsel for ISS International Service Systems, Inc. and as an associate with Kauff, McGuire & Margolis.

Ms. Fagin received her B.A. from Cornell University and her Juris Doctorate from Boston University School of Law. Ms. Fagin is admitted to practice in New York for the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts. She is a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA).

Daniel Correll, Esq.

Senior Associate General Counsel
718-817-5810
dcorrell@fordham.edu

Daniel Correll joined the Office of Legal Counsel in July 2018. As Associate Counsel, Mr. Correll concentrates on contract negotiation, litigation, compliance, insurance and risk management issues. 

Prior to joining Fordham, Mr. Correll was an attorney at the international law firm of Clyde & Co, representing a wide range of clients in litigation throughout the United States as well as before domestic and international arbitration tribunals. He has provided insurance coverage advice on a variety of insurance policies. Mr. Correll also provided regulatory advice relating to U.S. sanctions regimes obtaining licenses from the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control on behalf of clients. Mr. Correll also advised clients with respect to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Mr. Correll received his B.A. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and his Juris Doctorate from St. John's University School of Law, where he was an editor of the law review.  He is admitted to practice in the courts of the State of New York and the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the Eastern District of Michigan. He is a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA), the Bar Association of the City of New York, and the New York State Bar Association.

Carolyn Garcia

Paralegal
718-817-2235
cgarcia106@fordham.edu

Carolyn Garcia joined The Office of Legal Counsel in October 2018 as the Executive Assistant to the General Counsel. Ms. Garcia is responsible for intake, processing subpoenas and other document requests, processing invoices, purchasing, budgeting and other administrative support. Prior to joining the University, Ms. Garcia served as a Paralegal at a New York City law firm focusing on commercial litigation.