Beth Ann Williams | |
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| Member of thePrivacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board | |
| Assumed office February 2022 | |
| Nominated by | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Aditya Bamzai |
| United States Assistant Attorney General for theOffice of Legal Policy | |
| In office August 21, 2017 – December 11, 2020 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Christopher H. Schroeder |
| Succeeded by | Hampton Dellinger |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Beth Ann Schonmuller (1979-07-14)July 14, 1979 (age 46) Glen Ridge,New Jersey, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Education | Harvard University (BA,JD) |
Beth Ann Williams (born July 14, 1979) is an American lawyer who has served as a board member of thePrivacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board since 2022 and was theUnited States Assistant Attorney General for theOffice of Legal Policy from 2017 to 2020.[1] In her role as Assistant Attorney General, Williams served as the primary policy advisor to theUnited States Attorney General and theUnited States Deputy Attorney General. Before her governmental work, she was a partner at the law firm ofKirkland & Ellis.[2][3][4]
Williams was born on July 14, 1979.[5] She graduatedmagna cum laude fromHarvard College with aBachelor of Arts degree in history and literature. She received herJuris Doctor fromHarvard Law School, where she was president of the school's chapter of theFederalist Society. After completing law school, Williams served as a law clerk to JudgeRichard C. Wesley of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.[4]
From 2005 to 2006, Williams served as Special Counsel to theUnited States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. In her role at the Senate Judiciary Committee, Williams assisted with the confirmations ofChief Justice of the United StatesJohn Roberts andAssociate JusticeSamuel Alito.[4]
Williams became a litigation and appellate partner atKirkland & Ellis, where her practice focused on complex commercial, securities, andFirst Amendment litigation. She was on the Kirkland team that representedShirley Sherrod in herdefamation lawsuit againstBreitbart News. Her pro bono work included aUnited States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit appointment to represent Patrick Proctor, a New York state inmate who had been held insolitary confinement for 18 years. Williams won a decision allowing Proctor to proceed with a challenge to his confinement. Williams also crafted sixU.S. Supreme Court briefs at thecertiorari and merits stages.[4]
On June 12, 2017, PresidentDonald Trump announced that he would nominate Williams to become the nextUnited States Assistant Attorney General for theOffice of Legal Policy. She was confirmed by theUnited States Senate on August 3, 2017, and sworn in on August 21, 2017.[1]
On February 7, 2022, the Senate confirmed her to the PCLOB.[6]
| Legal offices | ||
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| Preceded by | United States Assistant Attorney General for theOffice of Legal Policy 2017–2020 | Succeeded by |