Director of the JEP
swilliams@chicagobarfoundation.org
312.546.9970

Samoane Williams is the Director of the Justice Entrepreneurs Project (JEP), an incubator empowering lawyers to lead socially-conscious law practices and innovative businesses that offer valuable, cost-effective legal services and products to consumers of all incomes. She is the point person and manager for the JEP’s growing network of law firms, and she manages, evaluates, and continuously improves the training curriculum, mentoring program, and knowledge management tools for the JEP, and plays a lead role in the program’s community education and outreach efforts.

Prior to serving in this role, Samoane practiced in several public interest law positions in Chicago, serving as a staff attorney at Equip for Equality, policy manager for Raise the Floor Alliance, and in several roles with First Defense Legal Aid, where she received one of the CBF’s prestigious Sun-Times Public Interest Fellowships.

Samoane is a 2014 cum laude graduate of the Michigan State University College of Law and received her B.A. in Sociology and Political Science with honors from the University of Michigan.

A native of Detroit, Samoane is a self-proclaimed foodie and enjoys the arts. She currently lives in Chicago’s Canaryville neighborhood.