D. Reece Williams, whose ancestors were part of the Irish migration from Ulster to America in the first half of the 1700s, is a partner at Callison Tighe & Robinson, LLC, in Columbia, South Carolina, a member of the American and South Carolina Bar Associations and former president of the Richland County Bar Association.

His forefathers moved from Pennsylvania to South Carolina where they settled in the up-country, lands occupied by the Catawba Indians and birthplace of Andrew Jackson, also of Irish descent.

"Like most of these Irish, they mistrusted government - particularly English government - were independent, accustomed to hardship and prone to violence. These qualities contributed to the American Revolution; some say these Irish fomented the Revolution. My ancestors served the patriot cause and remained in the up-country of South Carolina, proud of their Irish heritage, and helped to establish the character of the region and of the new America," says Williams of his Irish roots.

Williams earned his B.A. from the University of North Carolina in 1960 and his J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1964.

In 1989, he was elected to the American Board of Trial Advocates, an organization whose membership is restricted to lawyers who have completed at least 50 jury trials. He has been a national director since 1989, national secretary 1991-1993, recipient of its Masters in Trial award in 1995, founder and trustee of its allied foundation, and has formerly served as its national secretary, national vice-president, national president-elect,and national president at various times.

He is a member of the South Carolina Trial Lawyers Association, Defense Trial Lawyers Association, American Judicature Society, and the International Society of Barristers.

He received the University of South Carolina James Petigru Compleat Lawyer award for professional excellence in 2001, has been a legal education speaker in over 50 trial demonstrations in more than 30 states and has authored articles for several legal publications.

A past board member of The Workshop Theatre, Columbia Ballet, Kitani Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, The Red Cross and The S.C. Aquarium Commission, Williams is the present chairman of the U.S.C. School of Public Health Partnership Board, past chairman and present life member of the Salvation Army Board, past chairman of the Columbia Housing Board, present life member of Columbia Art Association and member of The Columbia Museum Board of Visitors and a former vestryman and canvass chairman of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral.

He is an organizational board member of the S.C. Chamber Orchestra and is a board member of the South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra.

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