Newly hired Assistant Tama County Attorney Geneva Williams takes the oath of office from County Auditor Laura Kopsa at Board of Supervisors meeting on Nov. 2. Tama County Attorney Brent Heeren is pictured in the back capturing video of the occasion.Williams replaces Michael Bandy who retired this fall. Darvin Graham/News Chronicle

A newly hired Assistant County Attorney has brought her career full circle in a return to Tama County.

Geneva Williams first arrived at the county attorney’s office in Toledo in 2005 as a law student at Drake University. She spent two semesters interning with Tama County Attorney Brent Heeren where she was able to gain valuable hands-on job experience that helped propel her career.

Williams completed her first trial, a traffic court case, in Tama County as an intern during that time.

“The internship program was an excellent opportunity to really learn the job and learn the practice in a hands-on way,” Williams said. “I was shocked to hear at the time that my friends around the country weren’t getting that kind of experience. The internship gave me confidence going into private practice.”

Now 15 years later Williams, an accomplished attorney in her own right, has been brought on as the Assistant Tama County Attorney under Heeren who is serving his 10th term at the post.

“Ms. Williams is an experienced and accomplished attorney and I am confident she will be passionate in her efforts to make sure justice is accomplished in each case she handles,” Heeren said.

Williams began work at the office in November and replaces Michael Bandy who retired from the county attorney’s office in October. Bandy came to the position in early 2017 after a lengthy career in the military.

Originally from St. Louis, Williams came to Iowa in 1998, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics from Coe College before going on to achieve a juris doctorate from Drake University in 2006.

She was the 2003 winner of the Judge Allen Danielson Award (Moot Court) and the 2006 winner of the Rodney L. Hudson Appellate Advocacy Award.

Williams is married with 5 children and enjoys camping, reading, cooking and spending time with her family.

After graduating from Drake, Williams worked in corporate human resources for three years before opening her own private practice in 2011 in the Cedar Rapids area.

“I’ve always been interested in getting to work in the public sector,” Williams said. “I was at a point where my career came full circle. When the opening came up I thought this might be a good time to think about a change.”

In her time working with the staff at the Tama County Attorney’s office Williams was impacted by the care that she sees taken to communicate well and in a compassionate manner.

“People that are dealing with our office are generally going through one of the toughest moments of their life,” Williams “The compassion by which this office communicates with victims and their approach in dealing with defendants. Our goal of course is to see justice done and to be a voice for the community.”

As the state and its court system deal with the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis, Williams has been encouraged to see the ways in which the court system has adapted to the challenges of conducting business remotely.

“I think we’ve done a good job in managing the necessary changes brought on by the pandemic on the fly,” Williams said. “We’ve been doing a lot of remote court hearings. Iowa has done a great job in keeping the courts moving and keeping people’s cases moving forward, even in the midst of a pandemic. And that was something that was important to me especially as a defense attorney. You want to make sure your clients get zealous representation even when you can’t physically get into a court room.”

The primary function of the county attorney offices throughout Iowa are to prosecute all violations of state criminal laws and county ordinances and represent and defend the state in court.

“I expect Geneva will be ever cognizant of the delicate balance between being a zealous prosecutor and protecting the rights of individuals,” Heeren said. “I am sure the people of Tama County will see Ms. Williams conduct herself with a high level of dignity and professionalism while fulfilling her role as an Assistant Tama County Attorney.”