Lecturer Bio
Chriss Williams
Chriss Williams, Esq. is a graduate of Rutgers Law School and a member of the New Jersey Bar since 2005, bringing more than two decades of experience advocating for survivors of domestic violence, employees, faculty, and staff. As a long-serving Pro Bono Attorney with Partners, a non-profit public interest law firm serving victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. He has represented English and Spanish-speaking clients in complex Final Restraining Order trials across Essex, Union, and Hudson Counties, work for which he was honored with the organization’s 2022 “Partner in Hope” Award.
Williams also has extensive labor and higher-education legal experience through his 10 years as Vice President for Grievances for AFT Local 1796, where he represented William Paterson University employees in Title IX cases, disciplinary actions, and reappointment appeals. He also served on both the NJ State College Grievance Committee and the NJ State College Contract Negotiations Team. In addition to his JD, Williams holds an MFA from NYU’s Graduate Film Program, and is a Full Professor of Film, currently serving as Chair of the Department of Communication at William Paterson University.
