Shari F. Crittendon

Vice President and General Counsel

Shari F. Crittendon was appointed vice president and general counsel of Fordham University in August 2024. She earned her law degree from the Francis King Carey School of Law at the University of Maryland and a bachelor’s degree in communication and rhetorical studies/public policy from Syracuse University. Prior to Fordham, Crittendon served as vice president for legal affairs and general counsel for Kansas State University. Previously, she served as senior corporate counsel and director of outreach and compliance for the Constitutional Law Center for Muslims in America. 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. As principal of her own firm, Crittendon represented tax-exempt organizations and school systems on employment, governance, and compliance matters. Earlier in her career, Crittendon was assistant general counsel at Morgan State University and also practiced in the commercial litigation groups of two mid-Atlantic law firms.

Primary Practice Areas: university and strategic leadership, including Cabinet, deans’ councils, and controlled corporation CEOs; governance, compliance, and policy; First Amendment and free speech; equity, nondiscrimination, and Title IX; intercollegiate athletics; data security; and litigation and administrative proceedings