At the beginning of her professional journey, Judge Ann Claire Williams was focused on a career in teaching, with little knowledge of her eventual path into the U.S. justice system, where she’s helped shape law domestically and abroad.

Williams would go on to serve nearly two decades as a federal judge after being first appointed to the judiciary by President Ronald Reagan. Today, Williams practices at Jones Day, where she’s focused on advancing legal systems in Africa. On the bench and elsewhere, she’s been a pioneer, on multiple occasions being the first Black woman in a given post, and she’s frequently advocated for others on her quest for justice.