Robert Harlan Henry

Robert Harlan Henry is a former United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit who also served as Attorney General of Oklahoma and later as president of Oklahoma City University. Born in 1953, he was appointed to the federal appellate bench by President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, in 1994 and served until his resignation in 2010, including a tenure as Chief Judge from 2008 to 2010. His career has spanned public service, the federal judiciary, legal education, and university administration, making him a prominent figure in Oklahoma's legal and civic landscape.

Early life and legal career

Robert Harlan Henry was born on April 3, 1953, in Shawnee, Oklahoma. During his high school years, he demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities that earned him national recognition. He was selected by Senator Barry Goldwater and Senator Ernest "Fritz" Hollings as the national recipient of the Elks Leadership Award. Additionally, Oklahoma's senators at the time, Fred R. Harris and Henry Bellmon, chose Henry as a William Randolph Hearst Foundation Scholar, further acknowledging his academic promise and leadership potential.

Henry pursued his undergraduate education at the University of Oklahoma, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with high honors in 1974. He continued his studies at the University of Oklahoma College of Law, receiving his Juris Doctor in 1976. His involvement in public service began while he was still a law student, when he was appointed to serve as Attorney General for the university student association. Remarkably, during this same period, he was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives, beginning a legislative career that would continue until 1986.

After a decade of service in the state legislature, Henry sought statewide office and was elected Attorney General of Oklahoma in 1986, defeating his Republican opponent Brian C. Griffin. As the state's chief legal officer, he served the people of Oklahoma during a period of significant legal and policy challenges. His performance in office was evidently well-regarded, as voters returned him to the position in November 1990 for a second term.

However, Henry did not complete his second term as Attorney General. In June 1991, he resigned from the office to accept an appointment as dean of the Oklahoma City University School of Law. Oklahoma Governor David Walters appointed Henry's first assistant attorney general, Susan B. Loving, to succeed him in the attorney general's office. Henry's transition to legal education marked a shift from electoral politics and state government to academic leadership, where he would help shape the next generation of Oklahoma lawyers. He served as dean of the law school until 1993, establishing himself as an educator and administrator in addition to his credentials as a practicing attorney and public servant.

Federal appellate service

Henry's judicial career began when President Bill Clinton nominated him to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit on February 9, 1994. The nomination was to fill a vacancy created by the departure of Judge William Judson Holloway Jr. The United States Senate confirmed Henry's appointment on May 6, 1994, and he received his commission three days later, on May 9, 1994. At the time of his appointment, he brought to the federal bench extensive experience in state government, legislative service, and legal education.

During his sixteen years on the Tenth Circuit, Henry participated in the broader work of the federal judiciary beyond his duties deciding cases. He served on the United States Judicial Conference Committee on International Judicial Relations, an assignment that reflected the increasing importance of international legal cooperation and dialogue. In 2005, Chief Justice William Rehnquist of the United States Supreme Court appointed Henry to chair this committee, a significant recognition of his expertise and leadership in matters of international judicial engagement.

Henry's work in international judicial relations included direct diplomatic and educational activities. In 2004, he was selected as part of a six-member delegation that represented the United States Judiciary at the Arab Judicial Forum. This delegation was led by Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and reflected the federal judiciary's commitment to fostering understanding and cooperation with judicial systems in other parts of the world during a period of complex international relations.

In 2008, Henry assumed the role of Chief Judge of the Tenth Circuit, the administrative leader of the court. He served in this capacity until 2010, overseeing the court's operations and representing the circuit in the broader federal judicial system. His tenure as Chief Judge coincided with the final years of his service on the bench. On June 30, 2010, Henry resigned from the Court of Appeals, concluding his federal judicial service after more than a decade and a half.

Henry has a family connection to Oklahoma political leadership: he is a cousin of former Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry. This relationship was publicly acknowledged when Judge Henry administered the oath of office at Governor Henry's inauguration in 2003, a ceremonial role that highlighted both his judicial position and his family ties to state government.

Jurisprudence and legacy

Following his departure from the federal bench, Henry returned to Oklahoma City University in a new capacity. On December 10, 2010, he was named the institution's seventeenth president and chief executive officer. Oklahoma City University is a private institution affiliated with the Methodist church, serving approximately 3,700 undergraduate and graduate students. Henry's appointment represented a homecoming of sorts, as he had previously served as dean of the university's law school nearly two decades earlier. He led the university until 2018, when he transitioned to the title of President Emeritus.

After stepping down from the university presidency, Henry entered private legal practice with a specialized focus. His practice areas include mediation and arbitration, conducting moot courts for attorneys preparing appellate arguments, and consulting on matters of appellate advocacy. This work allows him to draw on his extensive experience as an appellate judge and to contribute to the legal profession in a different capacity.

Henry has maintained an active presence in civic, philanthropic, and business affairs. His service includes positions on the boards of directors for numerous organizations, including Devon Energy, a major energy corporation; Allied Arts OKC; the AMAR International Charitable Foundation in the United States; the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber; iCivics, a civic education organization; the Jasmine Moran Foundation Children's Museum; the Oklahoma Hall of Fame; the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation; and the State Fair of Oklahoma. He is a life member of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws and has been active in the American Bar Association. His professional memberships include the Council on Foreign Relations, the Oklahoma Bar Association, the American Law Institute, Alpha Chi National College Honor Scholarship Society, and Phi Beta Kappa. He is an Independent Baptist.

Henry's scholarly contributions extend beyond his judicial opinions. He has delivered lectures at law schools throughout the United States and internationally, including the prestigious Madison Lecture at New York University in 2010 and the Pedrick Lecture at Arizona State University School of Law in 2011. His written scholarship has appeared in numerous law reviews and has been published by the university presses of Oxford, Nebraska, and Oklahoma, as well as in magazines and newspapers. In 2013, he authored a chapter titled "Living Our Traditions" in "The Embattled Constitution," published by New York University Press.

The breadth of Henry's contributions has been recognized through numerous honors and awards. He received honorary doctoral degrees from Oklahoma City University in 2000 (Doctor of Laws) and from the University of Tulsa in 2006 (Doctor of Humane Letters). His awards include Leadership Oklahoma's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015, the Dalsimer Dean's Award from Pepperdine School of Law, the Annual Human Rights Award from the Oklahoma Human Rights Commission, the A.C. Hamlin Award from the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, and the Humanitarian of the Year Award from the National Conference of Christians and Jews. In 2016, Kiowa Elder Bud Sahmaunt presented Henry with an honorary membership in the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma, recognizing his contributions to the community. He delivered the commencement address at the University of Oklahoma on May 12, 2017, returning to his alma mater as a distinguished alumnus and leader.