Judge Ann C. Williams

Ann Williams is a federal judge in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. She joined the court in 1999 after being nominated by President Bill Clinton. Born in Detroit, Michigan, Williams graduated from Wayne State University in Michigan with her Bachelor's degree in 1970 and from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor with her Master's Degree in 1972. Williams went on to graduate from Notre Dame Law School in South Bend, Indiana in 1975.

Williams was a law clerk for former Federal Appeals Judge, Robert A. Sprecher, in the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit from 1975 to 1976. Wiliams served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, in various positions, for the Northern District of Illinois with the U.S. Attorney's Office from 1976 to 1985. From 1980 to 1983, Williams was the Deputy Chief U.S. Attorney for the Criminal Receiving and Appellate Division before serving as Chief U.S. Attorney in charge of the Anti-Corruption, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force for the Northern District of Illinois, from 1983 to 1985.

Since 1979, Williams has served as an Adjunct Professor and lecturer at Northwestern University Law School in Evanston, Illinois and the John Marshall Law School, also in Chicago, Illinois.

On the recommendation of former Congressman Henry Hyde, Williams was nominated to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois by Ronald Reagan on March 13, 1985 to a new judgeship created by 98 Stat. 333, which was approved by Congress. Williams was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 3, 1985, on a Senate vote and received commission on April 4, 1985.

On the recommendation of U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, Williams was nominated to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals by President Bill Clinton on August 5, 1999, to a seat vacated by Walter J. Cummings, Jr. Williams was confirmed by the Senate on November 10, 1999 and received commission on November 15, 1999.