Mr. Williams joined the Richmond firm of Williams & Mullen in 1930. He practiced with the firm for 54 years, with the exception of three years during World War II, when he served as a lieutenant in the navy.

Mr. Williams' career was marked by community service as well as excellence in the practice of law. He served on the Richmond City Council from 1946 to 1948. He served on the boards of trustees of St. Catherine's School and Woodberry Forest School. He was chairman of the board of governors of the Greater Richmond Community Foundation from 1969 through 1978, guiding it through its early years. He was a member of the Virginia Commission of the Visually Handicapped and a member of the vestry of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church for many years.

Mr. Williams was counsel to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts for 25 years. In 1966 he was elected president of the Richmond Bar Association. He was a president of the Country Club of Virginia.

For all his achievements, in the practice of law and in community service, Mr. Williams was self-effacing and unfailingly courteous to everyone. He was a quintessential Virginia gentleman. That he captained the wrestling team at the university was a surprise for the lawyers in the firm, yet it illustrated the dedication and commitment he invested in whatever he undertook.

Mr. Williams was a wonderful mentor for young lawyers. He had a keen mind and was admired for his remarkable knowledge in so many areas of the law. He had done everything, from Civil Justice Court practice to mergers and acquisitions, from corporate and fiduciary income tax to registration of securities. He was the young lawyers' resource. He would put aside whatever he was working on and offer guidance to the young lawyers. Their welfare was important to him. When he saw a young lawyer at work on a Saturday, he would say "you ought to be home with your family."

Throughout his career, Mr. Williams made no distinction between ordinary people and major corporations he represented. No client was insignificant; he invested his time and talent in the representation of every client without reservation. It was of no importance to Mr. Williams that some lacked financial resources. He viewed the practice of law as an opportunity, and a calling, to serve people.

Mr. Williams' clients uniformly admired and trusted him. His statements for services rendered to major companies typically said, "To professional services rendered during the period from ___ to ___," and a dollar amount — no itemization, no detail. His clients paid without question because they knew, like so many others in the community, that he was a man of integrity and character. Mr. Williams set a worthy example that will long be admired in the legal profession.

Robert E. Eicher
Williams Mullen A Professional Corporation
Richmond, Virginia