Background
Williams, Edward Bennett was born on May 31, 1920 in Hartford, Connecticut, United States. Son of Joseph Barnard and Mary (Bennett) Williams.
Williams, Edward Bennett was born on May 31, 1920 in Hartford, Connecticut, United States. Son of Joseph Barnard and Mary (Bennett) Williams.
AB summa cum laude, College Holy Cross, 1941. S.JD, College Holy Cross, 1963. Bachelor of Laws, Georgetown University, 1945.
Doctor of Laws, Georgetown University, 1968. Doctor of Laws, Loyola College, 1967. Doctor of Laws, Fairfield University, 1968.
Doctor of Laws, Loyola University, Chicago, 1970. Doctor of Laws, Albert Magnus College, 1971. Doctor of Laws, St. Joseph's College, Philadelphia, 1971.
Doctor of Laws, Lincoln College, Illinois, 1972. Doctor of Laws, Suffolk University, 1974. Doctor of Laws, University Detroit School Law, 1976.
Doctor of Laws, Mount St. Mary's College, 1977. Doctor of Laws, University Maryland, 1983. Doctor of Laws, Scranton University, 1986.
Doctor of Laws, Barry University, 1986. Doctor of Laws, Spring Hill College, 1988.
Trial attorney who founded the law firm of Williams & Connolly and owned several professional sports teams. in law He represented many high profile clients, including Sam Giancana, John Hinckley, Junior., Frank Sinatra, financier Robert Vesco, Playboy publisher Hugh Hefner, spy Igor Melekh, Jimmy Hoffa, organized crime figure Frank Costello, oil commodity trader Marc Rich, United States. Senator Joseph McCarthy, corporate raider Victor Posner, Michael Milken, the Washington Post newspaper and the Reverend Sun Myung Moon. Professional sports Williams bought a stake in the Washington Redskins from the estate of founding owner George Preston Marshall in the 1960s. He along with Jack Kent Cooke owned the Redskins until 1985 when Williams sold his share in the team to Cooke.
Williams bought the Baltimore Orioles in 1980.
At the same time, he bought back the shares that had been sold to the public in 1935 while the team was still in Saint Louis as the Browns, making the franchise privately held once again. When he bought the Orioles, many feared he would move the team to Washington District of Columbia, and these fears increased with the departure of the Colts.
More importantly in the long term, Williams signed a new long term lease with Baltimore that would pay for a new stadium, which would become Oriole Park at Camden Yards. He would not live to see the new ballpark.
Real estate investments After an 11-year battle, Williams succumbed to cancer at age 68.
His funeral was attended by most of Washington"s power elite, including then-Vice President George H. West. Bush. He is buried in Saint Gabriel Cemetery in Potomac, Maryland. The Edward Bennett Williams Law Library at Georgetown University Law Center is named in his honor.
Edward Bennett Williams married Dorothy Guider in 1949.
They had three children: Joseph, Ellen, and Bennett. Guider died in 1959. In June 1960, Williams married Agnes Neill and had four children: Edward, Dana, Anthony, and Kimberly.
Agnes Neill Williams worked as an attorney for the Williams & Connolly law firm. She now lives in Potomac, Maryland and serves on the Board of Advisors of the Georgetown Center for Liturgy.
Williams, who was a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and Georgetown University Law Center, successfully defended – among others – Adam Clayton Powell, Junior., the Teamsters Union, John Connally and, as one of his last clients, Michael Milken.
Treasurer Democratic National Committee, 1974-1977. Trustee College Holy Cross, since 1976, chairman, since 1982. Served with United States Army Air Force, 1941-1943.
Member American Bar Association (committee minimum standards for administration criminal justice 1965-1967, chairman special committee crime prevention and control 1970-1972), District of Columbia Bar, Bar Association District of Columbia (vice president 1950, 55-56, Lawyer of Year award 1966), American College Trial Lawyers (board regents 1968-1972), International Academy Trial Lawyers Clubs: University, Vinson, National Lawyers, Metropolitan, Barristers, Alfalfa, National Press (Washington), Knights of Malta, Federal Association (president 1984-1987).
Married Dorothy Adair Guider, May 3, 1946 (deceased 1959). Children– Joseph Barnard, Ellen Adair, Peter Bennett. Married Agnes Anne Neill, June 11, 1960.
Children– Edward Neill, Dana Bennett, Anthony Tyler, Kimberly Anne.