Lawyers / Professionals

Ms Williams's duties as deputy general counsel for McGuireWoods include providing internal advice about legal ethics, firm governance and risk management issues, and overseeing the firm's conflict identification and resolution process. She is closely involved with the development and implementation of technology designed to decrease risks and enhance compliance.

From January 1998 to January 2006, Ms. Williams served as bar counsel for the Virginia State Bar. In that capacity, she oversaw the bar's regulation of the ethical conduct of more than 24,000 lawyers licensed to practice in Virginia. In addition to supervising a 40-member staff of prosecutors, investigators and support personnel in two offices, she prosecuted many attorney disciplinary matters and served as spokesperson for the Virginia State Bar.

As bar counsel, she had extensive interaction with members of the public, the bar, the judiciary and the media. Along with writing a quarterly column for the Virginia Lawyer Register and presenting many continuing legal education programs focusing on legal ethics and professional conduct, she spoke regularly to business, civic and community groups about lawyers and the legal profession.

Before she was appointed to serve as bar counsel, Ms. Williams had a diverse civil litigation practice focusing on commercial disputes, professional malpractice, product liability, insurance defense and coverage matters. Her clients included privately and publicly held business entities, financial institutions, professional service providers, insurers and individuals.