Judicial Service

In 1993, Judge Williams was appointed to the Superior Court as a Judge and immediately began to try cases in the Civil Division, averaging approximately 45 jury trials a year. As part of her responsibilities, she individually managed cases and decided up to one hundred motions every cycle, writing thousands of decisions which were published on the Judiciary’s internet site. Again, the cases included almost every type of civil case imaginable. During her last years on the bench, she was the Presiding Judge of the Chancery Division for a tri-county vicinage. This assignment expanded her legal repertoire to include resolution of equitable matters, such as shareholder disputes, business dissolutions, labor related cases and probate, to name a few. She decided significant cases in the area of land use and is considered by some as an expert in certain areas, having tried and written decisions on difficult topics such as easement by prescription.

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Because Judge Williams earned a reputation for solving complicated problems quickly and pragmatically, she was often given special assignments such as the designated Environmental Judge, while continuing to handle the lion’s share of medical malpractice, and employment law cases. At one point, Judge Williams received the special assignment of resolving Somerset County’s oldest civil cases, which she successfully completed by settling the majority of them.

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The Practice Of Law

Judge Williams personally handled approximately 1500 civil cases a year during her 12 years as trial attorney. Her responsibilities included all aspects of litigation, from review of the initial complaint and filing responsive pleadings to drafting briefs and motions. She interviewed witnesses and conducted depositions, ultimately preparing the case for settlement or trial. The case types were varied, including defamation, discrimination, constitutional violations, false arrest and imprisonment, malicious prosecution, medical malpractice, employment litigation, FELA, and all forms of negligence, including dangerous conditions of property, slip and falls and auto and bus cases. The physical injuries ranged from soft tissue to wrongful death. She appeared in most counties of the state and also in Federal District Court.

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Judge Williams has significant experience in environmental law having represented the Department of Environmental Protection, the Spill Fund and having headed the State’s Environmental Defense Unit.

While in the Attorney General’s Litigation Section, Judge Williams was promoted to supervisor. As supervisor, she was responsible not only for her individual files, but also for oversight of the forty other attorneys’ cases, making her ultimately responsible for approximately 60,000 files a year. These files ranged from responsive pleadings to trial, including evaluating the cases for settlement and advising attorneys on trial strategy.

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Teaching

Since teaching is an important part of assisting the legal community and those they serve, Judge Williams has always devoted a portion of her time to teaching. She has lectured to the bench and bar on subjects such as Employment Law and Environmental Law. More recently, she has served as an adjunct professor at Seton Hall Law teaching Persuasion and Advocacy and at Kean University where she teaches the subjects of Persuasion, Conflict Resolution and Mediation at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

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Education And Training

Judge Williams graduated Suma Cum Laude from the College of New Jersey and earned her J.D. from Villanova University School of Law. She has received Mediation training from the State of New Jersey Judiciary and is a State approved mediator. Additionally, she received extensive training in all forms of dispute resolution, including mediation from the National Judicial College in Reno Nevada.

Since 2007, Judge Williams Williams offers services in Alternative Dispute Resolution including, mediation, arbitration (including UM and UIM), Special Master and Discovery Master and litigation consultation and support.

Mediation: One of several Alternative Dispute Resolution techniques that spans many cultures and thousands of years, Mediation has gained popularity in recent years as an efficient, yet thoughtful, method of resolving disputes outside of the courtroom setting. Parties can actively participate in the resolution of their problems, allowing them to explore settlement alternatives with the assistance of the Mediator acting as a neutral outside of the courtroom setting. All discussions are privileged and confidential.

Arbitration: A knowledgeable third party is empowered to make a decision for the disputing parties. The parties can negotiate in advance of entering the arbitration which issues will be resolved by the arbitrator. Having a former judge review the sub- missions, listen to testimony and decide the issues, often serves as an economical alter- native to the formal litigation process. Judge Williams is approved by several carriers and is available to serve as a neutral in UM/UIM arbitrations.

Special Master and Discovery Master: Often, complex litigation requires the assistance of an experienced attorney or former judge to make decisions and guide the case through the litigation process in an expedient and orderly fashion. Decisions can be made by the Special Master who can devote substantial time and attention to the issues raised by the parties and then advise the court and parties as to those decisions.

Litigation and Litigation consultation: A unique feature of Judge Williams's law firm is that it offers litigation services in the form of advice to attorneys in preparation for trial and assistance in preparing briefs at the trial and appellate levels. In addition, Judge Williams can perform mock trials and/ or hearings on significant matters including oral arguments. She is also available to handle select litigation matters including court appearances.