Marcus W. Williams for N.C. Attorney General

 

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Having developed keen interpersonal and analytical skills while serving as Student Body President at three educational institutions (i.e. the proverbial "hat trick" in the Carolina Hurricanes hockey vernacular), Marcus W. Williams was prepared to optimize his clients' interests in any adjudicatory environment.

He was the first person elected as Student Body President at Lumberton High School after the consolidation of the Lumberton City Schools, and led the student delegation to Portland, Oregon in Lumberton's successful attempt to capture All-American City designation.

In 1974, he was honored to be elected as Student Body President at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, where among other accomplishments he initiated mass transit on campus; achieved greater control over a larger percentage of the student activity fee; implemented a more efficient and currently utilized unicameral form of student government known as the Campus Governing Council; pursued the FCC application for UNC-FM and established the first ombudsman to monitor the quality of health services for the more than 20,000 students.

In 1978, as the first minority ever elected President of the Student Body at the University of Minnesota Law School, he exhibited strong leadership in the coordination of contracts, book store services, legal studies curriculum and scheduling to facilitate the much desired move into the new, state of the art, West Bank (of the Mississippi) Law School.

Perhaps it was the exposure to work at age 10 in the tobacco fields of Robeson County, that informed and instilled in Marcus, early in his career, that representation of poor was one of the most important quests that a lawyer could pursue. His civil law advocacy acumen as a law school clerk, a Reginald Heber Smith Community Lawyer Fellow and as Staff Attorney quickly propelled him into the role of Executive Director of Legal Services of the Coastal Plains, an eleven county program based in Ahoskie, N. C. Those counties included Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Halifax, Hertford, Northampton, Pasquotank and Perquimans.

Subsequently, Marcus served as Attorney/Executive Director of two other larger, non-profit legal services organizations, including the seven county Southeastern N. C. non-profit organization entitled Legal Services of the Lower Cape Fear, situated in Wilmington, North Carolina. The service area encompassed Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Duplin, New Hanover, Onslow and Pender counties.

Marcus W. Williams worked in a diverse range of legal forums and courtrooms while addressing a myriad of statutory, procedural, constitutional and ancillary legal issues which were paramount to the survival of many clients and their families. He served as an active practitioner, litigation supervisor or co-counsel in a broad array of civil and quasi-civil legal matters. They included, inter alia, the matters delineated in the following chart, as excerpted from an Annual Report of one of the legal services organizations (a statewide entity) which he spearheaded and for which he promulgated policy directives.

chart

It should be noted that Marcus W. Williams and his respective staffs provided accessible quality legal assistance; balanced all annual budgets and conscientiously administered legal services programs for 17 consecutive years, while upholding the highest standards of financial accountability and interpersonal integrity. Moreover, he and his staff went the "extra mile" by initiating and facilitating various community enhancement and economic development projects. These included the construction of 79 units of HUD 202 housing units; the construction and purchase of twelve (1,500 sq. ft.) business condo units to serve as a business incubator; the establishment of a vibrant Community Development Corporation which engaged in the creation of a home ownership low interest loan program and the construction of single family homes; and the renovation of old school buildings to foster community health, education and intergenerational interaction.

In his capacity as an Assistant Public Defender in Robeson County, District 16B, Marcus W. Williams represented thousands of clients in a wide spectrum of criminal matters involving alleged criminal law infractions, minor and serious misdemeanors and felonies. This experience of representing indigent criminal defendants has bolstered his reputation as a "blue collar" lawyer who quests for justice and promotes individual responsibility. Clearly it has provided Marcus W. Williams with invaluable knowledge and insight into the operational universe of the day to day criminal adjudicatory process. Further, it has underscored the systematic need for firm, fair and consistent sentencing.

Williams has been recognized by his colleagues for his indefatigable advocacy and stellar stewardship of effective Legal Services Programs. He was elected and served as Chairman of the North Carolina Association of Legal Services Project Directors from 1994 through 1996. In 1996, an award from the Southeastern United States Association was bestowed upon Marcus W. Williams for meritorious service. Additionally, in 1997, he was acknowledged and feted by the Philadelphia Welfare Rights Organization for his innovative efforts to help transition welfare recipients into meaningful jobs, via well-articulated Agreements of Mutual Responsibility, so that they would never have the need to return to the welfare rolls.

Marcus W. Williams has been a frequent commentator, lecturer and guest speaker on radio talk shows and other media events, in classrooms and seminars, and during church sponsored and community service events. He presently practices law in a successful, solo, private law firm and serves as the President of the Robeson County Bar Association.

Marcus similarly serves the community as a member of the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Robeson County Library.

Election Information

January 25, 2016
Begin Request for
ABSENTEE Ballot by Mail
February 19, 2016
Last Day to
REGISTER to Vote
March 3, 2016
VOTING BEGINS.
No Excuse Required.
N.C.G.S. 163-227.2
Marach 15, 2016
Primary ELECTION DAY
 
General Election

REMEMBER: You can begin voting January 25, 2016.

For additional information on absentee voting, contact the
Board of Elections Office in your county.