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Bernard A. Williams joined the firm in 2006 as an associate in the Commercial Litigation Practice Group. Bernard focuses his law practice on commercial litigation at the trial and appellate levels, before federal and state courts. He has a diverse general litigation background, which includes securities, employment, antitrust, environmental, insurance coverage, criminal, and general commercial litigation.
Professional Background. Bernard was an associate at Dickstein Shapiro LLP, located in New York, where he was awarded the Justin D. Simon Core Values Award for exemplifying the values of excellence, loyalty, respect, initiative and integrity. Bernard served as a law clerk to the Honorable Theodore McMillian of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit from September 2001 until September 2002.
Professional Activities. Bernard is admitted to practice in New York, Pennsylvania, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. He is a member of the American Bar Association and the National Bar Association.
Education. Bernard received his bachelor's degree from American University and his J.D. from New York University School of Law, where he served as staff editor and associate editor on the NYU Law Review.
In 2001, Bernard was awarded the prestigious Arthur T. Vanderbilt Medal, the highest honor that is bestowed upon an NYU School of Law graduate, in recognition of his achievements and ongoing commitment to the law school. In the same year, he was awarded the President's Service Award for Excellence in Leadership from New York University, and the American Bar Association named him the Student Bar Association President of the Year, both for the Northeast Region of the country and for the nation.
Community Activities. Bernard often has contributed his services on a pro bono basis. He successfully has recovered unemployment insurance benefits for individuals in hearings before the New York State Department of Labor. He has created an annual scholarship to honor college students who have overcome diversity-related obstacles and who possess exemplary leadership skills. He has developed and led an internship program for high school students interested in pursuing careers in the law. He also has coached high school students in preparation for mock trial competitions, and has judged such competitions as well. Additionally, Bernard has spoken as a panel member before bar associations and undergraduate and law school audiences on a variety of topics including employment law, diversity, pro bono work and professional development.
Publications. Bernard wrote an article entitled "Guilty Until Proven Innocent: The Tragedy of Habeas Capital Appeals," which was published in the Summer 2002 edition of the University of Virginia School of Law's Journal of Law and Politics. | 