Sharonda R. Williams

Practice Focus

Local Government, Media/First Amendment, Construction, Corporate Governance

Sharonda Williams serves as Special Counsel in the firm’s Litigation Section. She also serves as Vice-President, General Counsel and Director of Government Affairs at Loyola University New Orleans, a position she has held since 2021.

Sharonda’s distinguished career spans more than twenty years in public service and private practice. Notably, she served as City Attorney for the City of New Orleans from May 2013 to November 2015 and as Chief Deputy City Attorney from October 2011 until May 2013. As City Attorney, Sharonda worked closely with the United States Department of Justice as the lead attorney handling the most comprehensive police consent decree in the history of the United States and the consent decree aimed at reforming the Orleans Parish Jail. Sharonda was also the lead attorney representing the City in settling a more than 30-year dispute relating to back pay and pension issues for the New Orleans Firefighters.

Prior to joining the City of New Orleans, Sharonda was a partner in the general litigation section of a major New Orleans law firm, where she handled cases ranging from construction disputes, medical malpractice, insurance coverage disputes, entertainment law contract negotiations, intellectual property licensing issues, and bankruptcy adversary proceedings. After resigning as City Attorney, Sharonda was special counsel at Fishman Haygood from 2016 through 2021.

Before her legal career, Sharonda attended the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, and she worked as a research laboratory technician there and at the Duke University School of Medicine. She graduated summa cum laude from Xavier University New Orleans in 1994 and earned her law degree from Loyola University New Orleans School of Law in 2001, where she was a member of Loyola Law Review.

Sharonda is very active in professional and civic organizations at the local and state levels. In 2022, she was sworn in for a five-year term as a member of the board of commissioners of the Port of New Orleans, a position appointed by former Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards. Sharonda currently serves as the secretary-treasurer of the Port of New Orleans, secretary of the Board of the Urban League of Louisiana, vice-chair of the board of French Quarter Festivals, Inc., vice-president of the board of Louisiana Appleseed, and president of the board of the New Orleans Bar Foundation. She is also a member of the boards of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, LCMC Health, Ogden Museum, and the 2024-25 Federal Bar Association – New Orleans Chapter.

Additionally, Sharonda served as chair of the board of commissioners of the Regional Transit Authority, to which she was appointed by then New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu with the unanimous approval of the New Orleans City Council, from 2016 to 2018.

Other past appointments include chair of the Judiciary Commission of Louisiana (2010-2011) and planning committee member for both the 2013 National Association of Women Judges Conference and the Appellate Judges Educational Institute 2012 Summit.

Sharonda is also a past board president of Bridge House and was a Grace House Women of Substance honoree in 2009. In 2010, she was locally recognized by Gambit Weekly as a “40 under 40” honoree. Sharonda was honored as Loyola University’s Young Alumna of the Year and recognized as an honoree at the Greater New Orleans Urban League Gala in 2011. She was also among the New Orleans CityBusiness Women of the Year Honorees that same year.

Sharonda was the president of the Louis A. Martinet Legal Society, Inc., from 2006-2007, earning the organization’s prestigious A.P. Tureaud Award in 2014. She was a member of the inaugural class of the Norman C. Francis Leadership Institute from 2012-2014, and she has also served on the Board of Directors of the American Civil Liberties Union.

Sharonda has been a Trial Advocacy Instructor at Tulane University School of Law and Loyola University New Orleans and a guest lecturer and Skills Course Instructor at Loyola University College of Law. She regularly lectures on the state and national level at seminars and continuing education events.

Education

J.D., cum laude, from Loyola University School of Law, 2001
- Member of the Loyola Law Review
B.S. in Biology, summa cum laude, from Xavier University New Orleans, 1994

Publications / Presentations

Speaker, “How a Legislative Session Impacts Pre-Trial and Trial Practice,” Louisiana State Bar Association Trial Practice Seminar, December 5, 2024
Panelist, “Ethical Communication and Presentation” and “Mentorship and Sponsorship: Nurturing Future Leaders in the Legal Field,” SWBLSA 2024 Academic Leadership Retreat, October 5, 2024
Panelist, “General Session: Higher Education Panel,” 55th Annual URMIA (University Risk Management & Insurance Association) Annual Conference, October 2, 2024

Representative Matters

Represented two New Orleans technology companies that had devised the first successful citywide wireless video surveillance system in the United States and the world, as recognized by national news outlets, including USA Today and HDNet. One of the defendants settled with plaintiffs for a generous amount before trial and, on November 2, 2009, after six weeks of trial, a jury rendered verdict in favor of plaintiffs and against defendants in the amount of $16.3 million, finding that Dell, Inc. had, among other things, conspired with other of the defendants to violate Louisiana’s fair trade practices act.
Represented numerous building owners in construction litigation claims related to mold. Successfully challenged vinyl wall covering manufacturers on their sale of their product in certain climates and for certain buildings under Louisiana redhibition law and the Louisiana Products Liability Act.
Prevailed in representation of minority shareholders in quo warranto action challenging an attempt to reconstitute a corporate board under Delaware law.
Successfully represented numerous property owners in insurance claims after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, asserting wind versus flood damages, lost income and business opportunity damages, and loss of income damages related to loss of oil production for damaged oil platforms.
Represented a prominent local business owner in a dispute against his business partner who was a mayoral candidate. Claimed misappropriation of company funds, which resulted in a favorable settlement to the client.
Successfully defended against a claim of constitutional violations by the passage of an ordinance establishing a pay plan for off-duty police secondary employment. Prevailed at the trial court and the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeal based upon arguments under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Successfully defended against a challenge of a series of ordinances reforming and modernizing the City of New Orleans taxi cab industry. Taxi cab companies argued that they had vested property rights in their certificates of public necessity, which should limit the City’s ability to regulate the taxi industry. Prevailed in the trial court, affirmed by the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeal, and the U.S. Supreme Court denied the writ, by arguing that certificates of public necessity were permits—not property, and, therefore, were subject to regulation.
Successfully defended a First Amendment challenge to the City of New Orleans’ tour guide licensing ordinances arguing that the City is entitled to regulate business (i.e. tours given for compensation). Prevailed in the trial court, affirmed by the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeal, and the U.S. Supreme Court denied the writ.
Successfully defended the City of New Orleans in a public records dispute related to the privacy of information contained in motor vehicle records. Prevailed in the trial court, the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal affirmed, and the Louisiana Supreme Court denied the writ.
Successfully defended the City of New Orleans’ civil service reforms when challenged by three employee unions on constitutional grounds.
Asserted a separation of powers argument to successfully challenge a trial court ruling placing the Mayor of the City of New Orleans under house arrest for the City’s failure to pay an outstanding judgment against it.