LCDR Williams is currently the Law Section Head in the Department of Leadership, Ethics, and Law at the U.S. Naval Academy.  A native of Bossier City, Louisiana, he was raised in East Texas and graduated from Pine Tree High School in Longview, Texas.  In May 1997, LCDR Williams graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Speech Communication.  He was commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve on 24 November 1998.  LCDR Williams graduated from the University of Texas School of Law in May 2000 and was licensed to practice law in Texas on 1 November 2000.

Following his graduation from law school, LCDR Williams was invited to serve in a temporary capacity as Risk Management Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs at Texas A&M University.  From July 2000 to May 2001, he led the university’s effort to implement a risk management program for student organizations based on the Navy-Marine Corps operational risk management model.

LCDR Williams graduated with honors from Naval Justice School in July 2001 and reported to Naval Legal Service Office Mid-Atlantic in Norfolk, Virginia to serve as a legal assistance attorney.  In February 2002, he deployed to the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to stand up a branch office of Naval Legal Service Office Southeast and remained there for six months as officer-in-charge.  LCDR Williams returned to Naval Legal Service Office Mid-Atlantic in August 2002 and performed duties as a defense counsel and officer-in-charge of the branch office at Naval Air Station Oceana.

In July 2003, LCDR Williams assumed duties as Staff Judge Advocate to Commander, Amphibious Squadron FOUR, and deployed in February 2004 on board USS WASP (LHD 1).  Serving as the flagship of the first Expeditionary Strike Group to deploy from the Atlantic Fleet, WASP completed a seven-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea, Indian Ocean, and Arabian Gulf in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

In October 2004, LCDR Williams reported to the U.S. Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals in Washington, DC for duty as a court commissioner and law clerk.  He deployed to Baghdad, Iraq in June 2006 and served there for six months as an International and Operational Law Attorney for the Commanding General, Multi-National Force – Iraq.  LCDR Williams has served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Leadership, Ethics, and Law at the U.S. Naval Academy since July 2007.

LCDR Williams’ personal awards include the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Gold Star, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Gold Star.  He was recognized by the American Bar Association in 2006 as the Outstanding Young Lawyer for the U.S. Navy.

LCDR Williams is licensed to practice law in Texas and before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and the U.S. Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals.