Get to Know a 1L: Kevin D. Williams

Temple Law, meet Kevin Williams (LAW ’29)! He’s a former high school history teacher who loves nature, his two cats, and his second home of Noxen, Pennsylvania—the place where his interest in environmental law began. Read on to learn his story.

Where do you call home?

I am from Norwood, Pennsylvania, right next to the Philadelphia airport. I also spent every summer in Noxen Pennsylvania, in Wyoming County, which I consider to be a second home to me. I spend as much time there as I possibly can— I love the accessibility to state parks and forests that Noxen provides.

What were you up to before law school? 

 I worked as a high school History teacher for several years at Hardy Williams High School in West Philadelphia. I taught 7^th Grade Ancient World History, 10^th Grade Modern World History, and a Geography elective. After I decided to leave teaching for a law career, I worked as a paralegal for two different law firms —Orlans Law Group and Padgett Law Group. For Orlans, I was part of the debt collection litigation team, and for Padgett, I was the lead paralegal on foreclosure Sheriff Sales. 

What sparked your interest in environmental law? Tell us your origin story.  

I think that interest primarily came about during my time in Noxen. To me, there are two instances that stand out. One was an exploration by a fracking company in town, and I remember people in town generally being opposed due to their fear of contamination of the drinking water. The exploratory well went ahead and fortunately for the town, found nothing and doesn’t seem to have had any long-term effects on the water safety. But to me the fact that these people stood up and said, “I don’t want this company to come in and do this and maybe poison my water” and that didn’t stop it really jumped out at me as wrong.

Another instance was also directly related to the town’s water. Long before I was born, the main employer in the town was a leather tannery. The tannery was so big in town that they built their own housing for employees, many of which still stand today. Part of the tanning process at that time made use of dangerous chemicals, and the way the tannery disposed of those chemicals was through what they referred to as ‘filter ponds’. There were five ponds, and the way the system was supposed to work was the chemicals would be dumped into the first pond and would dilute as they flowed through the others, before being released into Bowman Creek.

The filter ponds still exist today, and as a young boy I would wade in the ponds to catch frogs. One day, I caught a few frogs and all of them had a third eye on the top of their head. I remember thinking that first, I need to get out of this water right now, and second, if this is a mutation caused by the chemicals from the tannery, shut down over 50 years ago, how could these chemicals have affected or still affect locals?

Is law school less scary, scarier, or just as scary as you imagined?

So far, I think it has been less scary, but it’s been starting to pick up. It’s difficult, but I’m not terribly concerned. The only way out is through. 

Favorite 1L class?

So far, I think I would say Torts. I think the subject matter is interesting, and while not easy, is somewhat more intuitive. I also really like Professor Wells’ style of running the class and the dialogue. As a former teacher I have some opinions on how best to run such a dialogue, and Wells conforms very well to that idea.

Looking ahead at the next three years, what are you most hyped about?

I think I’m excited to get into more substantive legal courses and try out different things that may work for me. I’m excited to get involved, particularly with TELS. I’m trying to keep an open mind to the different fields of law I will undoubtedly be exposed to.

If you will allow us one corny, hippy-dippy question—what activity makes you feel most connected to the planet?

I think this is a toss-up so I’m going to offer two. The first is a solo hike. I enjoy hiking with friends, but then it just becomes a conversation in my opinion. When you do it alone, I feel like you get a deeper connection to the land you’re walking on. My second option is standing barefoot in a creek or a river. I think feeling the water flow around your feet and legs reminds you that you’re part of the entire system. 

What’s one thing most people don’t know that you think everyone should know? 

Pennsylvania’s own Susquehanna River is one of the oldest rivers on Earth, somewhere between 250-350 million years old. That’s older than the Atlantic Ocean.

Favorite piece of legal pop culture and/or fictional lawyer?

I would say Saul Goodman. I haven’t seen much of either show, but I love Bob Odenkirk. 

Dogs or cats?

Cats— I have two, Sparky and Ted.

Sweet or savory?

Probably sweet. I can never turn down a baked good.

Finally, and most importantly – would you rather (1) have Cheetos fingers for the rest of your life (as in Cheetos dust is caked onto your fingers for the rest of your life and you can never wash it off) or (2) have Cheetos dust around the corners of your mouth for the rest of your life? Feel free to explain your reasoning.

Definitely around my mouth. I can live with that, I think of it as like an extension of a mustache. Eventually I think I wouldn’t notice it anymore. Whereas with the fingers, I’d be getting Cheetos dust on everything I touch which would be a mess, and everything would taste like Cheetos.