Eric B. Williams II ’22 currently serves as a law clerk for the Honorable Jennifer Walker Elrod, chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and a member of the board of directors and jurist-in-residence for South Texas College of Law Houston.
“I’ve been here five months already, and the time has flown by,” said Williams, who was the valedictorian of his May 2022 law school class. “The overall experience has been amazing. My primary role as a clerk is to prepare Judge Elrod to hear and decide cases, and I continue learning so much from her.”
Williams interned for Elrod while still in law school, and she invited him to return as her clerk after he completed almost two years as a litigation associate at Foley & Lardner LLP.
“Eric shined as an intern,” Elrod said. “Only a 3L, he performed law-clerk caliber work, and I knew his abilities would only improve after practice at a firm. I consider myself blessed that he accepted a position in my chambers.”
At the law firm, Williams had the opportunity to draft briefs, craft arguments the lawyers would make before a judge, and learn how things go procedurally, how arguments are made, and why some arguments are more effective than others. His time there also allowed him to pay down student loans and build up some savings.
“I enjoyed my time at Foley & Lardner, and I loved the people there,” said Williams, who was an entrepreneur before attending law school. “I practiced commercial litigation, and I was able to do substantive work, including taking depositions and arguing motions in front of a federal judge six months into my time there. That’s not the norm for young lawyers.”
Williams said his time at South Texas Law prepared him well for his work at the law firm and now as a clerk. “I’m still learning and refining, but being around law clerks from UT, Yale, Harvard, etc., I realized I can do this; I’m ready for this.”
Elrod agrees. “STCL Houston has always prided itself on preparing law students for the practice of law, and Eric is a shining example of the law school’s success on that front. He has excelled as a clerk, as he is done in every aspect of his legal career. He can tackle any type of case that comes before our court — criminal, civil, agency disputes, constitutional questions — with ease. He also makes vital contributions to our case discussions because of his experience with the law firm before clerking in my chambers.”
Clerks play a vital role in the work of the judiciary, helping judges prepare for cases and often writing the first draft of opinions. “Since I have taken on the role of chief judge of the Fifth Circuit, I have relied heavily on my law clerks to help me manage the many administrative tasks that now fall in my lap,” Elrod said. “Eric and his co-clerks have been instrumental in helping me shoulder this load while continuing to assist me in case-related matters.”
Williams did not set out to clerk for a federal judge when he began law school, but he sees it as a huge blessing and advantage.
“Working with Judge Elrod, I’m learning to be a better writer, a better lawyer, and more analytical and detail oriented,” he said. “She has been on the federal bench for 17 years, and clerks from her very first class still come back regularly for her ‘benchaversary,’ for birthdays, and for the annual Elrod chambers Christmas luncheon. The clerk family is truly a family, and I believe I have a friend and mentor for the rest of my life.”
Even this early in his career, Williams has “already made his mark in all the best ways,” noted Elrod. “Just today, I brought Eric to a lunch sponsored by a local group of corporate lawyers. As it turns out, Eric had won a scholarship from the group in law school and had delivered a keynote address to them previously. Many of the lawyers were so impressed by his remarks that they remembered him several years later. I thought I would bring Eric to the lunch to help introduce him to local lawyers, but as it turned out, he introduced me to several local lawyers!”
Williams calls his clerkship a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “Ninety-seven percent of lawyers don’t clerk; there is a very small cohort of clerks — which means a very small group of lawyers see how appellate decisions are made, how courts are run, and learn all the things that go into managing a circuit,” he said. “I’m grateful every day I walk in the courthouse that I get to do this.”
Elrod expressed her great appreciation for Williams, as well. “Eric is a joy to have in chambers. He is a consummate professional who radiates positivity and brings a ‘can do’ attitude to all that he undertakes.”
