Basil Williams is an attorney who is passionate about serving vulnerable communities through volunteer work and legal advocacy.   

Williams is currently an associate at Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler, where he maintains an active pro bono practice. He previously served as a law clerk to two federal judges: the Honorable Helene N. White of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the Honorable Anne E. Thompson of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.   

An active member of the Harvard community, he has served as a director for Harvard College on the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) board and as a member of the HAA’s Building Community Committee. In those roles, he implemented programs to connect alumni with their classmates and with current students.  

As a JD/MPP student, he was the editor-in-chief of the Harvard Negotiation Law Review and a Harvard Teaching Fellow. As an undergraduate, he was head manager of the men’s basketball program and the representative of Pforzheimer House on the Senior Class Committee, where he led an initiative to organize public service opportunities for his class.  

“My passion for service springs from my belief that we are all responsible for each other. I also believe that, as Harvard alumni, we have limitless opportunities and an obligation to do good in our communities. When we work together to draw on our diverse skills and experiences, we amplify our ability to make change and solve our most pressing problems.”