John Eddie Williams, Jr.
Founder
“We have an outstanding track record of success here. We have the resources and experience to handle the most complex cases. Clients can be assured that we do not back down in the face of adversity.”
Biography
Founding partner John Eddie Williams, Jr. is a passionate, highly experienced legal expert and upstanding community member. He consistently demonstrates an inherent duty to advocate for those in need through his ambition in the courtroom and his firm’s culture.
Hard work and tenacity are attributes that helped John Eddie achieve his success, and these are qualities that he has fostered within the team of attorneys and staff at Williams Hart & Boundas since 1983.
John Eddie’s record of success has received substantial recognition, and rightfully so. However, by far, his most significant win in the courtroom is the 1995 landmark battle against Big Tobacco in which he represented the State of Texas. That victory in this landmark case resulted in the largest settlement in United States history, reaching a total of $17.3 billion.
“Big Tobacco had a tremendous court record, winning 800 cases in a row! We were in a true David versus Goliath scenario, but the group worked extremely hard and knew what we were doing was the right thing to do. It was a complex case, the most complex. We had papers piled floor to ceiling, but we fought hard and won.”
John Eddie’s fighting spirit began to thrive long before this historic win. A native Houstonian and son of working-class parents, he was a standout football player at Pasadena High School. He entered Baylor University on a football scholarship, graduating cum laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business in 1976. He then entered Baylor School of Law, serving as editor-in-chief of the Baylor Law Review and passing the Texas State Bar exam 15 days before graduating first in his class.
Decades later, he would significantly contribute to the Baylor community by funding a new on-campus football stadium alongside the Brazos River. This construction took its athletics organization to new heights. As a result, the field at Baylor Stadium was appropriately named John Eddie Williams Field.
“To think that I could be an advocate for people and help them in situations where the law may be their only recourse was plenty of motivation for me. I find it the most rewarding.”
John Eddie’s dedication to the community doesn’t stop at his alma mater. As the son and grandson of union longshoremen, he remained a strong advocate of workers and organized labor, representing members and their cases at every opportunity.
“Workers are the backbone of our country, and we work hard to help them in any way we can.”
He and his wife Sheridan feel strongly about helping the community where they live and were born. They are involved in many charities throughout the Houston area, donating their time and money to organizations such as the Houston Chronicle’s Goodfellows Fund, which provides new toys for needy children ages 2 to 10 during the holiday season.
“We want to help you the best we can. So work with us, keep us informed of your situation, and listen to your medical professionals. We care about you as our client and as a member of the Williams Hart & Boundas family.”
PRACTICE AREAS
John Eddie Williams represents plaintiffs in mass tort cases involving asbestos, silicosis, benzene, bad drugs, welding rod fumes, and toxic waste exposure. In addition, he represented the State of Texas in its lawsuit against the tobacco industry, resulting in the largest settlement in U.S. history.
Major Plant Explosions
Catastrophic Injuries
Free Case Evaluation
When you contact us, the process begins with a free and confidential consultation.
LICENSED TO PRACTICE
- All state and federal district courts in Texas
EDUCATION
Baylor School of Law
Waco, Texas
- Juris Doctorate, 1978
- Served as editor-in-chief of The Baylor Law Review
Baylor University
Waco, Texas
- Bachelor of Business Administration, 1976
- Graduated cum laude
RESULTS
$14,000,000
settlement for a client injured in an oil and gas accident (fees and expenses: $4,768,847.56)
$10,000,000
$10,000,000
$8,250,000
$6,000,000
$5,000,000.00
$3,995,000
PROFESSIONAL HONORS
- 2002 recipient of Baylor University’s “Lawyer of the Year” Award
- Past president of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- Past president of the Houston Trial Lawyers Association
- Past president of the Houston Trial Lawyers Foundation
- Past Chair of the Houston Bar Foundation
- Clarence Darrow Award Winner 2008
2009 David S. Shrager President’s Award - 2012 Baylor University “Alumnus of the Year” Award
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent rating 1985 – present
- Texas’ Top Rated Lawyers 2012 Edition
- Texas’ Best Lawyers 2013
The Best Lawyers in America 2013-present - Best Attorneys in Texas 2006-2009, 2013-present
- Top Attorneys in Texas 2013-present
- Houston Bar Foundation’s James B. Sales 2015 Pro Bono Leadership Award
- Inducted into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame, located at Beasley School of Law at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA – 2018
- Recipient of Texas Trial Lawyers Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award – 2018
MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS
- State Bar of Texas, 1978 to present
- American Association for Justice,
- Board of Governors 2008 to present
- Executive Committee 2008-2012
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association Executive Committee 2012-2013
- Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization personal injury trial law 1982 – present
- The James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University
- Board of Advisers 2011 to present
- Houston Police Foundation, Board of Directors 2012 – present
- Board of Directors 2012 – present
- Community Bank of Texas, Board of Directors 2007 – present
- Since its formation in 2007, until November 2017, Mr. Williams has served on the Board of Directors of its parent company, CBFH, Inc.
- Since an initial public offering in November 2017, Mr. Williams has served on the Board of Directors of its current parent company, CBTX, Inc.
- Houston Astros Board of Directors 2011 – present
- Houston Bar Foundation, Board of Directors 2009-2017
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