For Immediate Release

March 27, 2006

Contact: Melanie McDonald, director of public relations, 574-284-4579

Federal Judge and Minority Trailblazer Delivers Saint Mary’s Commencement Address

NOTRE DAME, Ind.—Ann Claire Williams, a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals, will deliver the 2006 commencement address at Saint Mary’s College. Commencement takes place at noon on Saturday, May 20 in front of LeMans Hall.

Williams became the first African American woman on the bench for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois when Ronald Reagan appointed her in 1985. At 35 years old, she was also one of the youngest federal appointees. President Bill Clinton appointed Williams to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in 1999, making her the first African American woman to serve on the Seventh Circuit, and only the third to serve on any appeals court in the country.

Williams’ career began as an educator rather than a lawyer. After earning a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s in guidance and counseling, Williams worked as an elementary school teacher in inner city Detroit, the city where she was born and raised. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 1975, and began her legal career as a clerk with Judge Robert Sprecher of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. From 1976 to 1985, she tried major felony cases as an assistant U.S. attorney in Chicago.

Williams co-founded Minority Legal Education Resources in 1977 to support minorities in their effort to pass the Illinois bar exam. In 1993, she co-founded Just the Beginning Foundation, dedicated to celebrating the contributions of African American federal judges and to encourage more racial and ethnic diversity in the legal profession.

“Ann Claire Williams is an example of commitment, perseverance, and excellence,” says Saint Mary’s College President Carol Ann Mooney. “Judge Williams epitomizes the servant leader. She uses her professional expertise and her wisdom in service of her country and all of its people. Her careful analysis, encompassing vision, and moral courage have earned her widespread respect.”

For additional information, see the Countdown to Commencement Web site at http://www.saintmarys.edu/Commencement/.

Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, women’s institution offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study. “U.S. News & World Report” ranks Saint Mary’s #1 among Midwest Comprehensive Colleges offering bachelors degrees. Sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, the College was founded in 1844 and now enrolls approximately 1500 students.

###SMC06-18