Judge Mary Ellen Coster Williams left the bench in July 2023, after a distinguished judicial career to become a full-time mediator and arbitrator. Judge Williams was appointed to the United States Court of Federal Claims on July 21, 2003. The United States Court of Federal Claims is a federal trial court with national jurisdiction, comprised of 16 judges appointed by the President and confirmed by U.S Senate. Its expertise has been seen as its ability to efficiently handle large, complex, and often technical, litigation. The court hears a wide variety of high-dollar claims involving:
- Statutory and regulatory construction
- Government contract disputes
- Intellectual property
- Bid protests
- Fifth Amendment Takings
- Environmental and natural resources
- Tax
- Employment: civilian and military pay claims
- Class Actions
- Indian tribe breach of trust
The Court of Federal Claims also resolves Vaccine injury compensation claims as an appellate court. Because the Court of Federal Claims does not have magistrate judges, Judge Williams has handled many mediations in complex civil cases for her colleagues and has earned a reputation as a “go-to mediator” at the court. She also has extensive experience in handling bench trials and discovery disputes.
Judge Williams served as an administrative judge on the General Services Administration Board of Contract Appeals (“Board”) for 14 years, where she resolved federal government contract and personnel cases and conducted mediations. Prior to her Judicial career, she was a partner in the law firm of Janis, Schuelke and Weschler, focusing on civil litigation. Before joining the law firm, she served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Civil Division of the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) in Washington, D.C. Upon graduation from law school, Judge Williams was an associate with Fulbright and Jaworski, and later with Schnader, Harrison, Segal and Lewis in Washington, DC.
Throughout her career, Judge Williams has been active in bar associations and professional organizations. She currently serves in the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association (“ABA”) on the Council of the Section of Public Contract Law, and on the Content Advisory Board for the Intellectual Property Law Section’s publications.
From 2010-2013, she was on the Board of Governors of the ABA where she was a member of the ABA President’s Strategic Planning Committee and the Program Committee, and was the Board Liaison to the Intellectual Property Section and the National Conference of the Administrative Law Judiciary.
From 2002 to 2003, she was the Chair of the ABA’s Section of Public Contract Law, having served as the Section’s Chair-Elect, Vice Chair, and Secretary and as the Section’s delegate to the ABA House of Delegates for many years. Judge Williams also served as the section representative on the ABA Committee on Ethics and Professionalism and the ABA Commission on Evaluation of Rules of Professional Conduct from 1998 to 2000. She chaired the Ad Hoc Committee on Model Rules of Professional Responsibility of the Bar Association of D.C. in the early 1980’s. From 2009 to 2010, she served on the ABA’s Commission on Youth At Risk. She was a member of the ABA President’s Task Force on Government Lawyers from 2000 to 2001 and was elected a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation in 1985. She is a member of the sections of Dispute Resolution, Litigation, Intellectual Property and Public Contract Law. Judge Williams has also served the Bar Association of the District of Columbia in many capacities, as its Foundation president, as a Trustee, and as a member of its Board of Directors. In addition, Judge Williams was Chair of the D.C. Young Lawyers Section, Secretary of the D.C. Bar, and a member of the Policy Board for Legal Counsel for the Elderly.
Judge Williams is scheduled to teach Mediation Theory and Practice at the Strauss Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law in 2024.
Judge Williams has taught Remedies and Administrative Law at the Columbus School of Law, Catholic University, and Intellectual Property Law, Litigation with the Federal Government, Government Contracts, The American Civil Trial, and Legal Method at the Advanced Academic Program for Law and Government at Johns Hopkins University. She has lectured extensively on various legal topics, including civil trial practice, mediation, and discovery.
Judge Williams graduated summa cum laude from Catholic University where she obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Latin and Greek and a Master’s degree in Latin. She received her J.D. from Duke University School of Law, where she served on the Editorial Board of the Duke Law Journal. Judge Williams was born and raised in Flushing, New York. She is married and has two children.
Judicial Experience
July 2003 – July 2023:
Judge, United States Court of Federal Claims, Washington, D.C.
March 1989 – July 2003
Administrative Judge, Board of Contract Appeals, General Services Administration, Washington, D.C.
Notable Cases
- Nova Group/Tutor-Saliba v. United States, __ Fed. Cl. __, 2022 WL 815826 (Feb. 28, 2022) (Construction)
- Authentic Apparel v. United States, 146 Fed. Cl. 147 (2019), aff’d, 989 F.3d 1008 (Fed. Cir. 2021) (Licensing Agreement; Trademark)
- Gentex Corp. v. United States, 58 Fed. Cl. 634 (2003); Texas Bio- & Agro-Defense Consortium v. United States, 87 Fed. Cl. 798 (2009) (Government Contracts/Bid Protests)
- Afghan American Army Services Corp. v. United States, 106 Fed. Cl. 714 (2012); 106 Fed. Cl. 751 (2012); Guzar Mierbachakot Transportation v. United States, 104 Fed. Cl. 53 (2012) (Classified Bid Protests)
- SGS-92-X003 v. United States, 74 Fed. Cl. 637 (2007); SGS-92-X003 v. United States, 85 Fed. Cl. 678 (2009); SGS-92-X003 v. United States, 118 Fed. Cl. 492 (2014) (Breach of Contract)
- Jade Trading, LLC v. United States, 98 Fed. Cl. 453 (2011); Jade Trading, LLC ex rel. Ervin v. United States, 81 Fed. Cl. 173 (2009); Jade Trading, LLC v. United States, 80 Fed. Cl. 11 (2007), aff’d in part, vacated in part, rev’d in part by Jade Trading LLC ex rel. Ervin v. United States, 598 F.3d 1372 (Fed. Cir. 2010); Jade Trading, LLC v. United States, 67 Fed. Cl. 608 (2005); Jade Trading, LLC v. United States, 65 Fed. Cl. 641 (2005); Jade Trading, LLC v. United States, 65 Fed. Cl. 487 (2005); Jade Trading, LLC v. United States, 65 Fed. Cl. 443 (2005); Jade Trading, LLC v. United States, 65 Fed. Cl. 188 (2005); Jade Trading, LLC v. United States, 64 Fed. Cl. 85 (2005); Jade Trading, LLC v. United States, 63 Fed. Cl. 143 (2004); Jade Trading, LLC v. United States, 60 Fed. Cl. 558 (2004) (Tax)
- American Innotek, Inc. v. United States, 129 Fed. Cl. 444 (2016); American Innotek, Inc. v. United States, 128 Fed. Cl. 135 (2016), aff’d, 706 Fed. App’x 686 (Fed. Cir. 2017) (Mem.); American Innotek, Inc. v. United States, 126 Fed. Cl. 468 (2016); American Innotek, Inc. v. United States, 113 Fed. Cl. 668 (2013) (Patent Infringement)
- Ross-Hime Designs, Inc. v. United States, 126 Fed. Cl. 299 (2016) (Patent Infringement – Claim Construction)
- Rogers v. United States, 107 Fed. Cl. 387 (2012), aff’d 814 F.3d 1299 (Fed. Cir. 2015); Rogers v. United States, 104 Fed. Cl. 142 (2012); Rogers v. United States, 101 Fed. Cl. 287 (2011); Rogers v. United States, 95 Fed. Cl. 513 (2010); Rogers v. United States, 93 Fed. Cl. 607 (2010), aff’d, 814 F.3d 1299 (Fed. Cir. 2015); Rogers v. United States, 90 Fed. Cl. 418 (2009) (Fifth Amendment Taking)
- Alimanestianu v. United States, 130 Fed. Cl. 137 (2016), aff’d, 888 F.3d 1374 (Fed. Cir. 2018) (Fifth Amendment Taking)
- Blue Lake Forest Products, Inc., et al., Fed. Cl. (2007) (discovery; attorney-client privilege; deliberative-process privilege; at-issue waiver; subject matter waiver; scope of waiver; work product doctrine)
- Numerous Mediations involving contracts, statutory and regulatory interpretation, Fifth Amendment takings, property law, construction, intellectual property, vaccine injury compensation and attorneys fees
Professional Experience
Partner, Janis, Schuelke and Wechsler, Washington, D.C.
Assistant U.S. Attorney, Department of Justice, Civil Division, Washington, D.C.
Associate, Schnader, Harrison, Segal and Lewis, Washington, D.C.
Associate, Fulbright and Jaworski, Washington, D.C.
Organizations and Associations
U.S. Court of Federal Claims 2003 – 2022
- Chair, Standing Judicial Panel on Attorney Discipline, 2016-2018
- Chair, Advisory Council Committee on Bid Protests and Government Contracts, 2014 – 2019
- Bar Association Liaison, 2003-2021
- Management Committee, 2004-06
- Rules Committee, 2003-04
- Chair, Judicial Conference, 2004
- Advisory Council: Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, 2018 – present
American Bar Association 1984 – Present
Leadership:
- Board of Governors, 2010-13
- House of Delegates, 2003-08, 2010-Present
- Board Governance Committee, 2010-13
- Board Liaison, Section of Intellectual Property Law, Judicial Division – National Conference of Administrative Law Judges, Meetings and Travel
- Commissioner, ABA Commission on Youth at Risk, 2009-10
- Life Fellow, American Bar Foundation (elected 1985)
- Chair, 2002-03, Chair Elect, 2001-02, Section of Public Contract Law, Vice Chair, 2000-01, Secretary, 1999-2000, Section of Public Contract Law Council, 1996-Present
- Chair, Judicial Remedies Committee, 1994-97
- Chair, Young Lawyers Division, Associate Training Committee, 1983-85
Member:
- Site Evaluation Team for Law School Accreditation, Section of Legal Education, 2020-Present
- Advisory Committee to the Standing Committee on Law and National Security, 2017-21
- Standing Committee on Publishing Oversight, 2013-17
- Intellectual Property Law Section, Publications Content Advisory Board, 2013-Present
- ABA President’s Strategic Planning Committee, 2010-12
- Board of Governors, Program Evaluation and Planning Committee, 2010-13
- Board Task Force on Insurance, 2012-13
- Board Operating Reserves Committee, 2011-12
- Public Contract Law Section Representative, Committee on Ethics and Professionalism
- Commission on Evaluation of Rules of Professional Conduct, 1998-2000
- ABA President’s Task Force on Government Lawyers, 2000-01
- Bid Protest Committee
- Debarment and Suspension Committee
- Young Lawyers Division (“YLD”), 1983-89
- YLD Liaison, Administrative Law Section, 1984-86
- YLD Federal Practice Committee, 1984-86
- Sections of Public Contract Law, Intellectual Property Law, Litigation and Dispute Resolution.
Bar Association of D.C. 1980 – Present
Leadership:
- Foundation President, 1996-97
- Foundation Trustee, 1995-98
- Board of Directors, 1993-95, 1985-88
- Chair, Young Lawyers Section, 1985-86; Vice-Chair, 1984; Secretary, 1983
- Executive Council, 1980-81
- Editor-in-Chief, The Young Lawyer, 1980-82
- Chair, Ad Hoc Committee on Model Rules of Professional Responsibility, 1982-83
- Young Lawyers Section Delegate to ABA YLD, 1980-87
D.C. Bar 1988-89
- Secretary
Duke Law School 2010 – present
- Advisory Board
University of Maryland University College 2007-10
- Advisory Council, Criminal Justice and Forensic Investigation
ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
- Federal Circuit Bar Association, 2003-Present
- Federal Circuit Historical Society, 2007-Present
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims Advisory Council, Bid Protest Group, 1997-2001
- Federal American Inn of Court, Master of the Bench, 1990-91
- Legal Counsel for the Elderly, Policy Board, 1981-83
- DC Lawyers Club 2010 – present
- Barristers 2010 – present
- John Carroll Society 2003-present
Teaching & Lectures
Adjunct Professor [TBD] 2024
The Strauss Institute Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law
- Mediation Theory and Practice
Adjunct Professor Spring 2017
American University Washington College of Law
- Litigation with the Federal Government
Adjunct Professor 2006 – Present
Johns Hopkins University – Advanced Academic Program in Law and Government
- Government Contracts Law
- Intellectual Property Law
- Litigation with the Federal Government
- Legal Method
- The American Civil Trial
Adjunct Professor 2004-06
Catholic University Columbus School of Law
- Remedies
- Administrative Law
Instructor 2012
Duke Law School, Winter Session
- Government Contract Litigation
Instructor 2012
Central Eastern European Legal Institute
- Taught judges in Tunisia the judicial process, rule of law, and ethics
Lecturer
Various Bar Associations, Law Schools, and Professional Organizations: Federal Circuit Judicial Conferences; Court of Federal Claims Judicial Conferences; Federal Circuit Bar Association; American Bar Association; American College of Trial Lawyers; National Institute of Trial Advocacy; ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Advanced Mediation Program; Thomson/West, Federal Publications; Board of Contract Appeals Judges Association; Computer Industry Advisory Council; National Contract Management Association; FOSE; George Washington, Georgetown, American and Howard Universities; Computer Law Association; ABA Forum on Construction Law.
Honors & Awards
- United States Court of Federal Claims – Award for Outstanding Service to the Court, 2018
- United States Court of Federal Claims – Champion of Justice Award, 2018
- Duke Law School – Law Alumni Association’s Charles S. Murphy Award for Achievement in Public Service, 2017
- University Club Renaissance Award, 2009
Publications
- The United States Court of Federal Claims: A Brief Overview of the “People’s Court”, Juriste (2020)
- Intellectual Property Suits in the United States Court of Federal Claims, 10 No. 1 Landslide 30 (2017)
- 2007 Government Contract Decisions of the Federal Circuit, 57 Am. U. L. Rev. 1075 (2008)
Education
Duke University School of Law, J.D. 1977
- Editorial Board, Duke Law Journal, 1976-77
- Staff Member, Duke Law Journal, 1975-76
- Law Clerk, University Counsel, C.L. Haslam
- Treasurer, Women Law Students
- Research Assistant, Prof. Joel Fleishman (Administrative Law)
Catholic University, B.A./M.A. combined degree, 1974 – 75
- B.A. Greek and Latin, summa cum laude, M.A. Latin
- Phi Beta Kappa
- President’s Award to Outstanding Undergraduate Woman (highest university award for leadership and scholarship)
Services Offered
Representative Matters
Contact
Get in touch
