 Williams was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Wesley Samuel Williams, Sr., the first African-American president of the District of Columbia Board of Education, and Bathrus Bailey, a school teacher, counselor and college professor.He is married to attorney Karen Hastie Williams and is a father of three.A graduate of the Taft School, Harvard College, Columbia Law School (LLM), the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Harvard Law School (Juris Doctor), and Virginia Theological Seminary, Williams is a partner at Covington & Burling, and is co-Chairman of the Board of Directors and co-CEO of the Lockhart Company.