Following in His Father’s Footsteps: W. Keith Williams III ’25 Continues a Family Legacy of Law and Service
When W. Keith Williams III stepped into the courtroom to take his attorney’s oath, the moment carried a weight he’d imagined his whole life. His father, W. Keith Williams II, a judge in the Delaware County Magisterial District in Pennsylvania, administered the oath himself, turning a family dream into reality.
In Pennsylvania, magisterial district judges may keep a private law practice as long as it doesn’t conflict with their judicial duties. That’s why Judge Williams continues to preside on the bench while also running his law firm.
Now, as an attorney practicing alongside his father at The Law Office of W. Keith Williams II, the Widener Law Commonwealth graduate is doing exactly what he hoped, helping clients in personal-injury matters and serving his community with compassion and determination.
Williams said Widener Law Commonwealth quickly felt like home. He always knew he wanted to practice in Pennsylvania, and when the acceptance letter arrived—with a handwritten note from the dean, it sealed his decision. “That personal gesture made me feel seen and welcomed before I had even enrolled,” he said.
Originally from the greater Philadelphia area and a Temple University graduate, he still remembers his first visit to Harrisburg with his mother. The city’s quieter pace struck him as the perfect backdrop to focus. “Even though I didn’t know anyone who had gone to Widener, I took a chance, and I’m so glad I did. I truly loved my experience there.”
The path toward law began much earlier. Growing up, Williams watched his father build a respected practice rooted in advocacy and community. A framed newspaper article in his dad’s office, written before he was born, mentioned a hope that one day father and son would work side by side. “I read that growing up and quietly carried it with me,” he said.
Years of coursework, late nights, and bar-exam prep brought that hope full circle. Standing beside his father in court, Williams felt the moment stretch beyond a simple ceremony. “Being sworn in by my father was incredibly meaningful. It felt like I was stepping into a legacy, not just starting a career.”
That legacy wasn’t his alone. His sister, Sierra Williams, a 3L at Widener Law Commonwealth, stood beside them holding the Bible. “That moment meant more than words can express,” she said. “Watching my father administer the oath while I held the Bible felt like a dream our whole family shared finally coming true. Growing up, we always talked about hard work and carrying on the family legacy, and that day Keith fulfilled a part of that vision.”
For Sierra, the scene echoed childhood memories of holding the Bible when her father was sworn in as judge. “Those moments filled me with pride and planted the first seeds of why I wanted to enter the legal field,” she said. “Standing there for my brother was emotional but also a continuation of something deeply rooted in our story.”
It also gave her a glimpse of what’s next. Keith will hand her diploma to her at Widener’s graduation this spring, and their father will later swear her in as an attorney. “Knowing I’ll stand in my father’s courtroom where my brother once stood fills me with humility and motivation,” she said. “The two men in my life built the platform for me to stand on, and soon there’ll be a woman standing there, too.”
Sierra says her father’s discipline and her brother’s persistence shaped her own drive. Watching Keith tackle long hours and bar-exam pressure showed her what resilience really looks like. “He gave me the blueprint,” she said. “He showed me that character and integrity matter just as much as intelligence.”
Their father’s favorite reminder, those who fail to prepare, prepare to fail, still echoes for both siblings. Sierra took a less conventional route, stepping away from school before completing Widener’s TAP program. “Knowing failure wasn’t an option because preparation was always possible shaped how we approach everything, being resilient, adaptable, and turning struggle into strength,” she said.
After graduation, she hopes to join a business-law firm and focus on contracts, mergers and acquisitions, and international law. “I’ve always been drawn to the intersection of law, strategy, and problem-solving,” she said. “Ultimately, I see my journey as part of the larger legacy my family has built.”
At Widener, Keith found mentors and experiences that solidified his identity as an attorney. Serving as treasurer of the Black Law Students Association taught him teamwork and leadership. Courses like trial methods, evidence with Professor Michael Dimino and products liability with Professor Susan Raeker-Jordan sharpened his analytical approach.
His externships added perspective. After his first year, he interned with Judge Lori Dumas in Commonwealth Court, where his legal writing took off, then spent time observing trials and depositions with Judge Royce L. Morris of the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas. “Those experiences were foundational,” he said.
Graduation brought pride, but the bar exam proved the real test. Williams studied 10 to 12 hours a day for months. “When I found out I passed, it felt like a tremendous weight lifted off my shoulders,” he said. “All that discipline and sacrifice paid off.”
The lessons his parents instilled, hard work, perseverance, and service continue to guide him. “They taught me that success lives on the other side of hard work,” he said. “And they taught me to show up for people, to serve the community with purpose and compassion.”
Now, working alongside his father, he’s focused on serving clients in Delaware County, Philadelphia and beyond while building his skills as a litigator. “Over time, I hope to expand our practice and become one of the strongest litigators in the state,” he said.
More than anything, Williams hopes his story shows others what’s possible. “Legacy isn’t just about family,” he said. “It’s about opening doors for others and leaving the community better than you found it.”
