Ronda F. Williams
Senior Corporate Counsel, SAVVIS, Inc.
Ronda F. Williams is 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 is also a graduate of Saint Louis University School of Law where she earned her Juris Doctorate and served in several leadership roles, including President of the Black Law Students Association, Member of the National Moot Court Team, Legal Research Writing Teaching Assistant, and being appointed to the school's Leadership Council by the Dean and being elected a Student Bar Representative all three years. She is licensed to practice law in Missouri, Illinois, the United States Federal District Court of the Eastern District of Missouri and the United States Federal District Court of the Central District of Illinois.
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, Ronda 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.
Currently, Ronda serves 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 structures, drafts, reviews and negotiates complex information technology and telecommunications-based agreements and directs and develops 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 billion dollars.
Since 2004, Ronda has been an Adjunct Professor at Saint Louis University in the School for Professional Studies. She develops and teaches courses in the disciplines of Law and Business. Ronda also designs, implements and teaches online courses for the University.
Ronda has served in many leadership roles within the legal community, most recently serving as President of the Mound City Bar Association ("MCBA"). As President of MCBA, she created and developed the "MCBA Adopt-A-School" pipeline 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.
Ronda has previously served on the National Bar Association's Board of Governors as Region VIII (Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota) Director in 2008-2009 and Affiliate Chapter Representative in 2009-2010. She also served as Deputy Chief of Staff to NBA President Mavis T. Thompson in 2009-2010. Ronda served in many capacities on the Board of the NBA Young Lawyers Division, having been the Luncheon Chairperson and the Convention Coordinator, and holding the positions of Treasurer and General Counsel. Her interests are diverse, she is a member of the NBA the Women Lawyers Division, Corporate Law Section and Communications Law Section. She is a Past President of the Mound City Bar Foundation, and currently serves as its Treasurer. In April, Ronda was elected to the Board of Governors of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis as a Member-at-Large. Ronda has 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 is 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 volunteers with other non-profit organizations, including Read Across America, the St. Louis Aids Foundation and the Angel Tree Project.
Ronda's awards and honors include: 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.
