About Alexander Williams
Alexander Williams Jr. built his academic foundation over more than two decades of study. He earned a B.A. from Howard University in 1970 and returned there for an M.A. in 1991. He completed a J.D. at the University of Baltimore School of Law in 1973 and later added a M.A.R.S. from Temple University in 1995.
After law school, Williams moved into public service at the local level. He served as a municipal lawyer in Prince George’s County beginning in 1975. Two years later he joined the county’s office as an assistant public defender. He also took on roles that blended legal work and administrative hearings, including work as special counsel and hearing examiner for the Prince George’s County Board of Education in 1980.
Williams’s career shifted between litigation, public office and teaching. In 1987 he was elected as the county’s state’s attorney. He began an academic post at Howard University School of Law in 1978 and later returned to the classroom as an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland, College Park in 2017. His time in academia ran alongside practice and public responsibilities rather than replacing them.
In 1994 Williams was appointed to the bench of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. He served there as a federal judge, bringing courtroom experience to both his teaching and community work. After his judicial service he continued to engage in legal practice and public education, crossing between courts, classrooms and civic initiatives.
Outside of courtrooms and lecture halls, Williams founded the Judge Alexander Williams, Jr. Center for Education, Justice and Ethics in 2013. He serves as its executive director. The center reflects an interest in connecting legal principles to education and ethical standards. It also serves as a public-facing component of his longer career in law and public service.
Williams holds licenses in Maryland and the District of Columbia. He is a member of Silverman Thompson and maintains an office there. He continues to teach periodically and to lead the center he founded. He practices at Silverman Thompson, handling matters that intersect with education, justice and ethics.
