Photo courtesy of Paradise Valley Mayor Jerry Bien-Willner
By AZMAG
When Paradise Valley Mayor Jerry Bien-Willner enters the room, he brings with him a distinct mix of friendly charm and intensity. The combination reflects his background as a nationally recognized attorney and civic leader who also is dedicated to his family and the community of nearly 13,000 he serves.
Mayor Bien-Willner is the directly-elected mayor of the Town of Paradise Valley, having won reelection to a third term as mayor in 2022. Prior to his selection as the Town’s mayor, he served on the Town’s Planning Commission and on the Town Council for four years, including two consecutive terms as vice mayor. All of this work has been, and is currently done, as an unpaid volunteer.
“I grew up in the Valley and in Paradise Valley. My wife Robyn and I met (while we were both working) in New York City,” says Bien-Willner. “We decided that we didn’t want to raise a family in New York, and I was able to convince her to come to Paradise Valley. And one day I opened up our local newspaper and they were asking for volunteers. I put in my resume…we thought this would be a good way to get a little more involved in a place that I love and also get reintegrated into the community.”
From PV to NYC and Back
After graduating from High School in Paradise Valley, Bien-Willner attended Claremont McKenna College on a four-year academic merit scholarship. He earned his law degree, also with an academic merit scholarship, from the University of Arizona. During law school, Bien-Willner worked as a research assistant for the U.S. Department of Justice. He went on to accept a position at Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann LLP, a boutique firm specializing in complex litigation. He was soon transferred from the West Coast to the firm’s New York City headquarters. During his time at the firm, he won more than $1 billion in recoveries for his clients.
Mayor Bien-Willner says his law background has served a useful purpose in his current role as mayor, especially when it comes to reviewing ordinances or contracts.
“In my first term, the town faced a major lawsuit and I felt very comfortable in that environment and working through that, and we were able to successfully resolve it in a win-win,” he says, noting that he always took his obligation as an officer of the court extremely seriously. In fact, it is an obligation that carries over in all he does.
“I see myself as a mayor, as a servant, and as a fiduciary to our citizens,” he says. “It’s ingrained in me to do things ethically and with integrity at all times.”
