Change is afoot in the District of Delaware! Last week, President Biden nominated Gregory B. Williams, a partner in Fox Rothschild LLP’s Wilmington office, to fill Judge Stark’s vacancy in the District of Delaware. (See Judge Stark’s confirmation history here.)
About the Nominee
The White House provided a helpful and succinct summary of Mr. Williams' qualifications: “Gregory B. Williams is a partner in the Wilmington, DE office of Fox Rothschild LLP. He joined the firm in 1995 as an associate and was elevated to partner in 2003. He has served as special master in complex civil cases for the District of Delaware since 2020. From 1986 to 1992, Mr. Williams served in the U.S. Army Reserve. He received his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law in 1995 and both his B.A. and B.S. from Millersville University of Pennsylvania in 1990.”
Delaware Leadership
Mr. Williams is a former President and Treasurer of the Delaware State Bar Association. He has been a member of the Attorney Advisory Committee for the District of Delaware, since at least 2015, and co-chairs its Technology Committee. He is also a member of the Local Rules Committee, which works with the Court to revise the Local Rules.
In 2016, Mr. Williams was appointed Chair of the State of Delaware Judicial Nominating Commission by Delaware Governor Jack Markell, after he served as a member of the Commission for seven years. He is also on the Board of Directors for Legal Services Corporation of Delaware, Inc., which describes itself as a "non-profit law firm and community education organization assisting low-income families in Delaware."
Mr. Williams also wrote a moving piece on the George Zimmerman verdict in the DSBA Journal, written during his time as DSBA President. A copy of the article is available here.
IP Practice
His practice at Fox and Rothschild is focused on commercial, IP, and other business litigation. He has been admitted to every district court in the Third Circuit, except the Virgin Islands, as well as the Third Circuit Court of Appeals and U.S. Supreme Court. For a full list of his awards and honors, news mentions, notable clients, and broader descriptions of his practice, see his CV here.
The Arduous Process of Becoming a District Court Judge
Nomination by the President is only the second of several steps in becoming a federal judge. Prior to nomination, Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons recommended Mr. Williams for consideration, following a call for applications in November last year. Next, Mr. Williams will be considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is charged with evaluation of district court nominees.
We can’t see evidence of his nomination on the Senate Judiciary Committee nomination list just yet, but it's likely to appear soon. The Senate is currently in a recess until April 22. Once the Senate is back in session, we can expect to see a new batch of judicial nominations, including Mr. Williams’ name, added to the list and scheduled for hearings before the Committee.
If the Committee votes to advance him, a floor vote will be added to the Senate Executive Calendar. If he receives a majority of “yes” votes, Mr. Williams' nomination will be confirmed. Following a confirmation, the new district court judge will receive a Commission, Oath of Office, and an investiture. Keep checking back to IP/DE for more news about our next judge!
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