RICHARD J. WILLIAMS, JR. is a 1993 graduate of the University of Scranton, where he obtained a B.S. in Political Science, magna cum laude, and an M.A. in History. Mr. Williams graduated from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1996, where he obtained a Juris Doctorate, cum laude. Williams was admitted to the New Jersey Bar, as well as the United States District Court, District of New Jersey, in 1996. Mr. Williams served as law clerk to the The Honorable James J. Petrella, P.J.A.D. from 1996 through 1997, at which time he joined the Firm as an associate. Mr. Williams was the Editor-In-Chief of the Seton Hall University School of Law Constitutional Law Journal from 1995 through 1996 and also served as the research assistant to the Hon. Peter Rodino from 1994 to 1996.

Mr. Williams has extensive experience in defense litigation including products liability, auto defense, general negligence, insurance coverage, contract disputes, employment law, and workers’ compensation. Mr. Williams has experience at both the trial level, having tried several cases to verdict, and before the appellate courts, as well as several administrative courts such as the Division of Workers’ Compensation. Mr. Williams has also handled numerous matters before the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. Mr. Williams has argued dozens of appeals before the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division and the New Jersey Supreme Court. Among those cases are several appeals from the Division of Workers’ Compensation involving a variety of legal issues. Mr. Williams also serves as a trustee to the Trial Attorneys of New Jersey and coordinates the organizations annual Back to Basics seminar given to attorneys preparing for the Supreme Court Civil Trial Certification examination.

In addition to his extensive experience in the field of workers’ compensation and employer’s liability matters, Mr. Williams also handles complex insurance bad faith litigation on behalf of insurers. Mr. Williams also has extensive experience with complex personal injury matters involving wrongful death and survivorship claims. For example, in Zambrano v. CSX Transportation, Inc., et als., Mr. Williams represented the plaintiff’s employer in respect of a third-party claim for contractual indemnification arising out of a catastrophic accident in which the plaintiff was run over by a freight train and killed. In Kaplan v. Harleysville Ins. Co., Mr. Williams represented Harleysville Insurance Company in respect of a claim for insurance coverage under a professional liability insurance policy. The underlying case involved a wrongful death claim by the family of a deceased 29-year-old truck driver who was killed in an accident involving his tanker truck. In the case of Horan v. Eaton Corp., Mr. Williams served as local counsel and co-trial counsel for Eaton Corp. in a complex product liability action in which the plaintiff suffered severe third degree burns over 50% of his body when an electrical switch gear exploded.