Outstanding Lawyer Award: James Williams
By Sophie Petersen
The King County Bar Association is proud to honor James Williams as the 2025 Outstanding Lawyer of the Year. His contributions are both wide-ranging and deeply impactful, making him a well-deserving recipient of this year’s award, which recognizes distinguished and meritorious service to the legal profession and public.
James’ long career reflects an unwavering commitment to justice, equity, and leadership. Since 2018, he has served as the Washington State representative to the ABA House of Delegates, not only attending every session but also delivering detailed reports to his constituents across the state. He recently served as vice-chair of the ABA Committee on Issues of Concern to the Profession, and advocated, via a powerful address to the ABA House of Delegates, in support of a U.S. Supreme Court ethics code. “I love being in the thick of it,” James says of his policy work.
His passion for advancing the next generation of legal leaders is exemplified in his co-founding of the Washington Leadership Institute in 2004 alongside Justice Mary Yu. Over two decades, the WLI has empowered hundreds of lawyers from underrepresented backgrounds with the tools, mentorship, and confidence to lead.
Justice Yu says this about James’ lasting influence:
“James is able to recognize the leadership potential in others, especially younger or newer lawyers. He possesses an intuitive skill of nurturing that potential through truth-telling and gentle ways — especially impactful for lawyers from diverse backgrounds. He honestly communicates the often-unspoken rules of our profession while empowering others to discover their greatness.”
James’ compassion and effectiveness extends beyond mentorship. His dedication to public interest litigation includes work as a cooperating attorney with the ACLU, and he was instrumental in the landmark Wilbur v. City of Mount Vernon class action, which secured the right to adequate legal representation for indigent misdemeanor defendants. His impact in that case earned him national recognition and multiple legal service awards.
Since 2017, James has been the managing partner of Perkins Coie’s Seattle office, where he provides 300 attorneys with a clear example of how legal expertise and community commitment can go hand in hand. Despite his demanding day job, James’ loyalty to the broader community has never wavered and he has contributed his time and expertise to numerous nonprofit boards, including the King County Bar Foundation.
James has also been an active member of KCBA since joining in 1998. That same year, he began serving on the Judicial Evaluation Committee, marking the start of a long and meaningful relationship with the King County Bar and its mission.
Through his work in legal leadership, public service, and community engagement, James F. Williams has demonstrated a clear and lasting dedication to the values of the profession. Congratulations, James, on your well-deserved 2025 Outstanding Lawyer of the Year Award.
Sophie Petersen is KCBA’s Marketing & Communications and can be reached at sophiep@kcba.org.
