is the James L. Dohr Professor of Law at Columbia Law School. Previously, she practiced law as deputy city attorney at the Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney and as a staff lawyer at the Western Center on Law and Poverty. Williams has served on the faculties of the University of Wisconsin School of Law, the City University of New York Law School, and the Golden Gate University School of Law. She has published widely on race, gender, and law. Her books include The Alchemy of Race and Rights, The Rooster's Egg, and Seeing a ColorBlind Future. Williams is a columnist for The Nation. She is a recipient of the MacArthur Prize and is on the Board of Trustees at Wellesley College.