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Ronda F. Williams

November 10, 1971 - April 24, 2013

It is with heavy hearts that we lay to rest our beloved Ronda. She was a guiding force in the Mound City Bar family for many years and will be truly missed, but her legacy lives on.

A scholarship has been established in honor of Ronda. Donations may be sent to the Ronda F. Williams Scholarship Fund, c/o MCBA, P.O. Box 1543, St. Louis, MO 63188. Condolences may also be sent to MCBA.

Ronda Fay Williams was a native of St. Louis, Missouri. She earned her undergraduate degree in business marketing from Hampton University in Virginia where she was a Dean’s Scholar and recipient of the Dean’s Graduate Achievement Award. Ronda was also a graduate of Saint Louis University School of Law where she earned her Juris Doctorate and served in several leadership roles.

During law school, Ronda served as Judicial Law Intern for the Honorable Kathianne Knaup Crane at the Missouri Court of Appeals. Upon graduation from law school, she served as Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Booker T. Shaw of the Missouri Court of Appeals. Immediately following her clerkship, Ronda was an Associate at Fox Galvin, LLC where she practiced as a litigator focusing on defending product and premises liability, toxic tort/mass tort and medical negligence claims. While at Fox Galvin, she won involuntary dismissals in Missouri and Illinois state courts, as well as, successfully opposed a motion for summary judgment in federal court.

Most recently, Ronda served as Senior Corporate Counsel at SAVVIS, Inc., a global internet technology company at the forefront of IT innovation as a leading global provider of cloud computing services, with a presence in more than 45 countries worldwide. At SAVVIS, Ronda structured, drafted, reviewed and negotiated complex information technology and telecommunications-based agreements and directed and developed the company’s global legal sourcing and procurement activities. Ronda was awarded the company’s highest merit award, the SAVVIS ACE award for “A Commitment to Excellence” in 2008, an Outstanding Service Award in 2009 and a Special Award of Merit in 2010. This past year Ronda was responsible for closing deals valued at more than $1,000,000,000.

Since 2004, Ronda was an Adjunct Professor at Saint Louis University in the School for Professional Studies. She developed and taught courses in the disciplines of Law and Business. Ronda also designed, implemented and taught online courses for the University.

Ronda served in many leadership roles within the legal community, including serving as President of the Mound City Bar Association (“MCBA”). As President of MCBA, she created and developed the Keys to Success program. MCBA adopted two area high schools where volunteers participated in more than 15 separate events and workshops, with more than 60 students participating in the program. This program received special recognition by the St. Louis Public School District in a ceremony during a special school board meeting. Also under Ronda’s leadership, MCBA conducted community service abroad through its donation of clothing and toys to a Rafiki Village orphanage and of books to the Abiriw Village town library, both located in Ghana, Africa. Additionally, it participated in the Saint Louis Sister Cities Committee "Pair Up" program donating new or used eyeglasses to citizens in Saint Louis, Senegal, and “Operation Shoebox” adopting two deployed U.S. Soldiers stationed overseas (Iraq and Afghanistan) and sending them monthly care packages and letters. MCBA was awarded the National Bar Association’s Affiliate of the Year Award under her administration. For the last few years, she has also been instrumental in establishing the Annual CLE Retreat as one of MCBA's most highly anticipated events.

Ronda sat on the National Bar Association (NBA) Board of Governors where she was elected as a Member-At-Large in August of 2011, and served as Chief of Staff to the President of the NBA. She had previously served on the Board of Governors of the NBA as Region VIII Director in and Affiliate Chapter Representative in 2009-2010. She was a Past President of the Mound City Bar Foundation, and served as its Treasurer. Ronda was elected to the Board of Governors of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis as a Member-at-Large and was recently elected Treasurer. Ronda had served on the Missouri Bar Annual Meeting Planning Committee since 2008, the St. Louis Diversity Job Fair Planning Steering Committee since 2009, the Regional Business Council Young Leaders Network Steering Committee since 2007 and she participated in the Missouri Bar Leadership Academy (2008-2009).

In addition to her membership with the NBA, Ronda was also a member of the American Bar Association, the Association of Corporate Counsel, serving on its Diversity Committee, Corporate Counsel Women of Color, the Minority Corporate Counsel Association, the League of Black Women, the Mound City Bar Association, Women Lawyers Association of Greater St. Louis, The Missouri Asian American Bar Association, The Young Friends of the Saint Louis Art Museum and FOCUS St. Louis. She regularly volunteered with other non-profit organizations, including Read Across America, the St. Louis Aids Foundation and Motion for Kids.

Ronda’s awards and honors include: 2012 St. Louis American Young Leader Award for her commitment to making a positive impact in the community by helping to serve others; 2011 YWCA Leader of Distinction Award awarded for excellence in her field of endeavor and significant contributions to the community, both inside and outside the workplace; National Bar Association & IMPACT’s 2011 Nation's Best Advocates: 40 Lawyers Under 40 and Excellence in Leadership award, based on achievement, innovation, vision, leadership, and legal community involvement; 2010 St. Louis Business Journal’s “40 under 40” honoree based on career achievements and community work; 2010 Missouri Lawyer’s Weekly “Women’s Justice Award” in the Business Practitioner category for her accomplishments in the business community and at SAVVIS; 2010 National Bar Association President’s Award for exemplary service to the NBA; 2010 National Bar Association Young Lawyers’ Division Meritorious Service Award for long-standing service and dedication; 2010 Saint Louis University Black Law Students Association Service Award for providing the students with guidance and assistance throughout the school year; 2009 St. Louis Bar Foundation “Spirit of Justice Award” awarded to St. Louisans who exemplify professionalism and make significant contributions to the community; 2008 Mound City Bar Association Outstanding Service Award; and 2007 Mound City Bar Association President’s Award for outstanding service and commitment.

Click here to view of a video of Ronda discussing what it means to be a leader when she was awarded the 2011 YWCA Leader of Distinction Award.