Jurist-in-Residence for Rule of Law, Judge Robert Harlan Henry

The University of Washington School of Law is honored to welcome the Hon. Robert Harlan Henry, a widely respected former federal judge, as its inaugural Jurist-in-Residence for Rule of Law for the 2025–2026 academic year.

In his role, Henry will collaborate with students and faculty, co-teach classes, and plan a national Symposium on Defending the Judiciary for spring 2026. Henry’s appointment is part of UW Law’s emphasis on the centrality of the Rule of Law to American society and democracy, including a Rule of Law Fellows Initiative and a forthcoming Rule of Law clinic.

“I’ve served in all three branches of government, on the board of a Fortune 500 company, in national and international organizations, and in academia. My favorite and most important work has been in the judiciary because it is the bedrock of the rule of law,” Henry said. “Our system is deeply admired around the world because people see how our courts lay the foundation for peace and prosperity. In the next year, I want to show our students, the legal community, and the public why it is critical that we have a robust and independent judiciary.”

UW Law Dean Tamara Lawson said the school could not have found a better person to serve as its first jurist-in-residence.

“Judge Henry’s passion for the law is matched only by his experience and expertise,” Lawson said. “Judge Henry’s goals of bringing people together for deep conversations about the role of the judiciary aligns perfectly with our school’s work to show how the law touches the lives of everyone living in the state of Washington, the United States–and by impact and influence–the world.”

In 16 years on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit — including two as Chief Judge — Henry wrote over 750 decisions.

Henry was twice elected as Attorney General of Oklahoma. He also served as President of Oklahoma City University, as well as Dean and Professor of Law at Oklahoma City University School of Law. While on the bench, Judge Henry served as Chair of the Judicial Conference Committee on International Judicial Relations, and served on the Codes of Conduct Committee, both positions appointed by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist. He is a life member of the American Law Institute, the Uniform Law Commission (National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws), and the Tenth Circuit Historical Society. He also served on the board of Devon Energy.

He is a recipient of the SCRIBES American Society of Legal Writers Lifetime Achievement Award for legal writing. Kiowa Elder Bud Sahmaunt presented Henry with an honorary membership in the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma.