Shane D. Williams Named City Attorney
Alexandria, La. (Jan. 13, 2021) — Alexandria native Shane D. Williams was confirmed as City Attorney by the Alexandria City Council at its regular meeting Tuesday, Jan. 12. Williams replaces David Michael Williams, who was recently elected to serve as a judge in the 9th Judicial District Court.
“We are grateful to David Michael Williams for his service to the City and I know he will do an excellent job as a judge. And we are extremely fortunate to have someone with Shane’s knowledge and experience on staff to be able to promote. He has done an outstanding job for us and I know he will be an excellent City Attorney,” said Alexandria Mayor Jeffrey W. Hall.
“I am honored to be able to serve the citizens of Alexandria as City Attorney,” Shane Williams said. “I was born and raised in Alexandria and grew up in the Deerfield Subdivision in District 2. I’m a product of local schools – Horseshoe Drive Elementary, Lincoln 6th Grade Center, Brame Junior High and ASH. I have been practicing law for 15 years and I have always served as a public servant in some capacity during my legal career. Working under the leadership of Mayor Jeff Hall and the City Council has truly been a blessing to me. I am very grateful for this opportunity.”
Following his graduation from Alexandria Senior High School in 1997, Williams attended Southern University in Baton Rouge where he earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Urban Forestry in 2001, followed by a Master’s in Urban Forestry in 2002. He then entered law school, graduating from Southern University with a law degree in 2005.
Williams began his law career as an attorney with the U.S. Small Business Administration in the Disaster Assistance Unity. “I started working with the SBA right after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita,” Williams said. “I helped individuals and businesses that were affected as they rebuilt their homes and businesses. I enjoyed the work, but I had a tug to come back home and make an impact in my hometown community.”
Williams left the SBA to begin working at Legal Services of Central Louisiana, where he provided free legal advice and representation to low-income individuals in the areas of litigation, housing law, family law and child-in-need-of-care (CINC) cases in parishes throughout central and southwest Louisiana. Williams also worked as a contract attorney for the Town of Boyce from 2007-2010.
In 2013 Williams joined the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office in Alexandria where he served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Litigation Division. “I had the pleasure of working with former state Attorney General James “Buddy” Caldwell as well as the current Attorney General Jeff Landry,” Williams said. While working in the AG’s office I handled various cases in the areas of road hazards, general liability, worker’s compensation and civil rights cases. I served as Deputy Regional Office Chief, supervising 10 employees including four attorneys and six support staff.”
Williams joined the City of Alexandria Legal Department as Assistant City Attorney in January of 2019. “I was originally brought in from the AG’s office to help the City resolve litigation matters to reduce spending on contract attorneys,” Williams explained. “Within my first year I was able to save the City around $500,000 and within my first two years I helped save the City more than $1 million in legal expenses by resolving pre-litigation matters.”
Outside of work, Williams is active in community service. He served as President of the Central Louisiana Homeless Coalition from 2013-2015, during which time the group purchased the Virginia Soprano Center for Homelessness Building on Jackson Street. He also served as President of the Alexandria Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section in 2016-17.
Williams is currently an Executive Council Member with the Alexandria Bar Association and an At-Large Representative with the National Bar Association Government Lawyers Division. He is also active in his church, The WORD Christian Center, where he has served on the Board of Elders, Building Committee and as the church’s legal advisor.
He is married to Myra Williams, a 4th Grade teacher at Peabody Montessori Elementary school, and they have a 7-year-old son.
Contact:
Jim Smilie
Communications
318.449.5038 (Office)
318.730.1683 (Cell)
jim.smilie@cityofalex.com
