Cordi Joins U of A Office of General Counsel

Photo Submitted

C. Joseph Cordi, Jr.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – C. Joseph Cordi, Jr. of Little Rock has joined the Fayetteville campus office of the University of Arkansas Office of the General Counsel. Cordi began work at the University on Monday, Jan. 23, and becomes the office’s fifth attorney assigned to the campus, which currently serves over 27,000 students. 

Before joining the General Counsel’s Office, Cordi served with the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office for 20 years and successfully represented state officials and entities in a wide variety of civil matters, including employment, contract, tort liability and Freedom of Information Act cases. His practice has included both extensive trial work and appellate matters. Cordi is licensed to practice law in Arkansas and has represented clients in circuit courts throughout the state, in the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas, in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, in the Arkansas Supreme Court, and in the U.S. Supreme Court. Prior to joining the Attorney General’s Office, Cordi served for five years with the Public Defender’s Office for the Sixth Judicial District of Arkansas in Little Rock.

“We had several outstanding applicants, but Joe has exceptional experience representing state entities in complex litigation matters. He is the ideal person to take the lead role in representing the Fayetteville campus in both state and federal court and in the Arkansas Claims Commission,” said JoAnn Maxey, general counsel for the U of A System. “Joe will be a great resource to the campus and an excellent addition to our team.”

Cordi will be assuming litigation responsibilities previously handled by associate general counsel Matt McCoy. McCoy had been dividing his time between litigation and athletics matters, but due to increased legal demands of the Athletic Department, will now be focusing primarily on intercollegiate athletics and trademark-licensing.

Cordi is a native of Monticello, and has a B.A. in Business and Economics from Hendrix College and a law degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.  He was an assistant research editor for the UALR Law Journal and the recipient of the Judge William R. Overton Scholarship.

Among other duties as associate general counsel, Cordi will advise university officials on employment matters for the campus.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.