Are You Serious? 4,000 Doors and Counting: Former Legislative Assistant Excels at Nashville School of Law

A Refreshing Story of Service and Success: Marvin Williamson’s Journey to Law School

In our world that’s often filled with such chaos and caustic division—whether it’s online or in the news or local and national political squabbles—it was refreshing when Marvin, my former legislative assistant and political campaign director who knocked on close to 4,000 doors in Smyrna, LaVergne, and North Murfreesboro, was featured in this story while attending the Nashville School of Law.

Get To Know NSL 2L Marvin Williamson: A Natural Legal Mind

As a teenager, Marvin Williamson, a Nashville School of Law 2L, discovered he had a unique talent while taking an elective at Central High School in Memphis.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t a typical course such as theater or robotics that revealed this ability; rather, it was a legal theories course that felt instinctive to him.

“When I took the legal course, there were several honor students in my class, and I was not in the honors program. I remember that I was able to identify the issues and have a solid argument and use reasoning as to why things are the way they are,” said Williamson.
“The first thing we learned was the Magna Carta, and when we went back and forth with our arguments, everyone was wondering how I understood everything. I got an A, and they were getting Cs. My classmates would ask me how I got a certain answer, and I would say, ‘You don’t see it?'”
As his mother’s only child, it was William-son’s mom who encouraged him to become a lawyer. He moved to Nashville to attend Tennessee State University, majoring in criminal justice and history. After graduating from TSU in 2018, Williamson was eager to make an impact. He quickly found meaningful employment as a research analyst for the Tennessee
Legislature, eventually serving as the executive assistant to Rep. Mike Sparks of District 49.
Williamson worked on the hill for five years, being selected to lead a few special projects and mentoring several interns at the legislature.
“I told the interns where we are is the gold mine (referring to the legislature).
And every day make sure you show up to dig for gold. Make sure you present yourself well. Every day you step foot in that building is an interview, so present yourself to the highest standard not only for yourself but for your family and your university.”
Nowadays, Williamson works during the day as a paralegal for the Three-Judge Panel with the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts.
“Working for the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), I am constantly around attorneys and other legal specialists who have an expertise in their respective fields, which helps me tremendously when I have trouble understanding a concept. In addition, I love the camaraderie and the encouragement I have with fellow colleagues and how much they support me pursuing my legal studies. There are no words to express how much of an honor it is working at the AOC. I am grateful to have wonderful colleagues, and I particularly want to thank Michelle Consiglio-Young, the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs at the AOC, for her unwavering support.”
In his first year at NSL, Williamson found that he could effectively grasp the law through independent study, yet he also enjoyed forming friendships in his classrooms.
“I sit in the back row of every class. It just happened that way. As a new student, I looked for a seat and found one in the back and then made friends on the back row. Joking with us one day, (NSL LSVI Professor)
General Funk called us the ‘Back Row Scholars.’ But I will say, two of my classmates on the back row with me, Rick and Veronica, made the dean’s list this year, and I am really proud of them.”
Williamson enjoyed all his first-year law classes. He attributes much of that positive experience to the NSL faculty. Their influence played
a significant role in shi the coursework.
“I do love me some General Funk, and I do love me some Judge Davidson. He is funny. As a matter of fact, all our professors are funny. Eric Osborne is hilarious- very intelligent, genius-level mind. Judge Davidson-he just cracks me up, and he’s arguably the best Torts professor in the state of Tennessee. Dr. McCoy, our legal writing coach, is phenomenal. Professor Frogge is honestly the most hilarious professor I ever had. I used to work with him a bit when I was at the legislature, and I had no idea how funny he was,” he said.
Appreciating their great sense of humor, Williamson also holds the insights of the School’s faculty in high regard and said he looks forward to continuing his legal education at NSL.
“I am already engaging in my second year. I kind of want to be a week ahead of all my classes, and thankfully I know some upperclassmen who told me what to start on so I can get ahead and be very prepared for my exams,” said Williamson.