Until his appointment, Mr. Williams was a Partner, Leader Diversity Practice Group and Co-Leader Global Legal Practice in the TMP Worldwide Executive Search Division located in its Chicago office. Previously, Mr. Williams practiced law for nearly twenty years. Immediately prior to joining TMP, Mr. Williams was an equity partner with the international law firm of Sidley Austin Brown and Wood, specializing in healthcare mergers and acquisitions and other insurance arrangements. Before Sidley, Mr. Williams was an equity partner in the Chicago-based law firm of Gardner, Carton & Douglas.

Mr. Williams earned his law degree from Northwestern University, his master's degree in Business/Health Services Administration from the University of Wisconsin (Madison), and his undergraduate degree, with honors, in psychology from Macalester College. He also studied for one year at the University of Ghana in Accra, Ghana, a semester in a foreign study program in Bogotá, Colombia, and a year as an administrative resident at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center.