“ The fact that some of my law professors took an interest in me and in my success as a clerk was meaningful ,” he says . “ Their counsel provided me with a good perspective and undoubtedly made me a better clerk . When I returned to school after the clerkships ended , there were professors who invested in me . That trust was instrumental in my development as a lawyer .”
As graduation neared , Williams decided to leave the West Virginia State Police and stay with Steptoe & Johnson . His upcoming wedding was part of his motivation for that decision , and his summertime clerkship experiences contributed to his choosing that firm .
Williams never expected to find the same spirit of teamwork in a law firm setting that he had experienced as a state trooper , but his coworkers at Steptoe & Johnson proved him wrong .
“ I cannot tell you why Steptoe & Johnson took a gamble on me , but I ’ m glad they did ,” says Williams . “ From the start of my career with them until today , there has always been someone within the firm willing to invest time to make me a better lawyer . And for those times when you need a soft place to land because you ’ ve had a rough day , there is always someone there . I can recall fumbling a matter I was working on for a senior member of the firm as an associate . After revealing the significant mistake , not only did the senior partner give me some great words of encouragement , but another member in the firm volunteered to stay late into the night to help me complete what needed to be completed . To my knowledge , no one ever kept score of that incident or used it against me . The incident never adversely impacted my career or , more importantly , adversely impacted the trust my partners put in me .”
Their selflessness made him want to work harder and show the same giving spirit to others . He does this not only as an attorney but as the co-leader of the General Litigation Practice Group , leader of the Emergency Response Team and member of the diversity and recruiting committees .
“ In the General Litigation Practice Group , it is my job to identify strategies for the group based on input from the group members that fit with the firm ’ s overall objectives ,” he says . “ We listen to the needs and concerns of group members , address the needs or concerns as best we can , work with others in firm leadership positions and work to ensure the group is making a meaningful contribution to the firm ’ s success . For the Emergency Response
Williams participating in the 2015 Dancing Through Time event for the Alzheimer ’ s Association .
Team , my job is to assemble , oversee and , if necessary , participate in coordinated emergency response efforts . Responses to client emergencies require fast thinking , quick action and sound decision-making . My state police training was good preparation .”
As a member of the firm ’ s recruiting and diversity committees , Williams aims to broaden diversity , find attorneys suited to the firm ’ s values and ensure they are knowledgeable on key issues . To strengthen its diversity efforts , Steptoe & Johnson has formed a partnership with the LCLD .
“ LCLD is an organization that focuses on creating diversity in the legal profession ,” he explains . “ Because LCLD is a leader in this regard , and because LCLD ’ s mission aligns with Steptoe & Johnson ’ s beliefs , it was a natural partnership . Simply put , our profession is better with diverse attorneys in it .”
Williams , a West Virginia Bar Association fellow , carries his own experience with him as he mentors law students at the WVU College of Law . “ All the students I ’ ve mentored have been ethnically diverse and from larger cities ,” he says . “ Typically , the College of Law is their first meaningful experience with the state of West Virginia . Frankly , West Virginia , through the eyes of a person with no prior experience with the state who may be from a metropolitan area or an area with more ethnic diversity , can be intimidating . I find that most of the students I deal with have similar questions or face similar issues , perceived or real . What I hope to bring to the table is perspective , particularly given that my experience with the state was similar to their experience .”
His experience since coming to West Virginia — where he has coached youth football , participated with Habitat for Humanity and even earned second place in a dance competition fundraiser for the Alzheimer ’ s Association — has been a positive one .
“ Although I am not from West Virginia , I have lived in West Virginia longer than anywhere else ,” he says . “ I can honestly say that West Virginia raised me . Almost every important milestone in my life is connected to this state . The people of West Virginia have been good to me . Interestingly , I find that I can often be more protective of West Virginia than people born and raised within the state . West Virginia educated me , gave me more professional opportunities than I could have imagined and taught me how to love nature and countless other things that I may not have experienced living elsewhere . I am grateful for it all .” •
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