William Wilson

William T. Wilson (Law ’63) received the 2022 Edward L. Chambers Jr. Award. The award was established in 2020, after Ed’s sudden passing, to recognize volunteers who have devoted significant time to the Virginia State Bar.

Wilson’s service to the Bar began in 1991 when he served on the Committee to Study Mail Ballot Procedures, and he has remained steadfast volunteer for over three decades. He is a past chair of the Conference of Local Bar Associations and a past chair of the Senior Lawyers Conference (SLC). His tenure with the SLC was distinguished by the development of a Senior Citizens Law Day Program which has been a statewide program of the VSB.

He has held various positions with the VSB including as a member of the Judicial Nominations Committee, the Executive Committee, the Bar Council (three times on the Executive Committee), the Professionalism Committee, Professionalism Course Faculty and chair of the Computer Study Committee. He is a former member of the Judicial Candidates Evaluation Committee (JCEC) and is currently (2022) serving on VSB Council. He was appointed by Chief Justice Donald W. Lemons to the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee (JEAC) and is serving presently (2022).

Wilson has been practicing law in Covington since 1963, when he joined Senator Michael Hale “Hale” Collins. He was senior partner in the law firm of Wilson, Updike & Nicely until December 31, 2018. In his legal career, Wilson has served as a substitute judge for the County Court of Alleghany; president of the Alleghany-Bath-Highland Bar Association; president of the Virginia Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA); and was a member of the Boyd Graves Conference. In 2016, he was awarded the “Champion of Justice trophy” by the Virginia ABOTA Chapter. Additionally, Wilson served in the Virginia House of Delegates for 16 years (1974-89). As a delegate, he served on many committees and commissions, including the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission(JALARC).