Debbie Williams
Debbie Williams is a highly experienced paralegal at Trail, Coleman & Stearns, PLLC in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where she primarily assists Ms. Stearns with a busy probate and estate planning practice. With over 42 years in the legal field, Debbie brings unmatched expertise in drafting documents, managing calendars, handling court filings, and working directly with clients during often challenging times. She also contributes to the firm’s operations, including building management and, in the past, handling tax return e-filing, processing up to 100 returns annually. Her dedication, professionalism, and compassionate approach make her an invaluable member of the team.
Debbie began her career in 1984 after graduating from Nashville State Technical Institute with an Associate's degree in Secretarial Science Technology with a legal option. She started working for a law firm in Nashville and then spent nearly eight years in New Mexico supporting the same attorney while her husband served in the Air Force. After a brief period in Mississippi, she returned to Tennessee to be closer to family. In 1997, she began working with Ms. Trail, and even after relocating temporarily to Coffee County for her children’s schooling, she was called back in 2007 and has been with the firm ever since.
Throughout her career, Debbie has been fortunate to work with attorneys who instilled in her patience, professionalism, and a strong commitment to clients. Now, she is embarking on a new chapter by running for Register of Deeds in Coffee County, where she hopes to give back to her community and be closer to her two granddaughters. Debbie’s long-standing dedication to the legal profession, combined with her commitment to community service, reflects both her deep expertise and her compassionate, people-focused approach.
• Nashville State Community College - AA, Legal Administrative Assistant/Secretary
• Active in local political party in Coffee County
• Running for Register of Deeds in Coffee County
What do you attribute your success to?
I think my biggest achievement has been being able to go through as many transitions as have come my way and still keep my focus on the main goal, which is keeping the clients as the main focus and doing what's best for them. I've been through a lot of changes - traveling with my husband in the Air Force, relocating multiple times, working with different attorneys, and navigating firm transitions. Through it all, I've tried to readjust and make sure we're doing everything we can to help clients out as much as possible. I really enjoy working one-on-one with clients and just helping them, especially in probates when it's such a difficult time for people who have lost loved ones. I feel good about being able to help people figure out these difficult things when they're already going through a difficult process. The attorneys I've worked with, like Ms. Stearns and Ms. Trail, have been such good examples - they're so patient and calm, and I try to retain that approach in my own work.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Debbie has been influenced by the attorneys she has worked closely with, particularly noting their patience, professionalism, and calm demeanor, which helped shape her own approach to client service and legal work.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I know there are so many different areas and resources for anyone who wants to get into the paralegal field and legal assistant positions. My advice would be to seek out as much education on that as you can - maybe seek a paralegal program or something similar to the degree program I went through. I think that would be helpful in staying up to date on the changing technologies in the field. I've been one that I've just been self-taught pretty much on all of the software and different technology that we use these days. We resisted email back in the day, but we finally got on board, and that's just where the world went. I think something that's built in me is to just be able to roll with the changes. You just have to be able to go and roll with the changes, because you'll never make it if you don't.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges I face in the legal field today is keeping up with rapidly changing technology, including evolving systems like e-filing and digital workflows. Staying current requires continuous learning and adaptation to ensure that legal processes remain efficient and accurate. At the same time, I see tremendous opportunities to leverage these technological advancements to improve both efficiency and precision in my work. Additionally, expanding my legal expertise into public service roles, such as my candidacy for Register of Deeds in Coffee County, allows me to apply my experience in new ways while giving back to my community.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The most important thing to me is keeping clients as the main focus and doing what's best for them. I really value being able to help people, especially during difficult times like probate when they've lost loved ones. I feel good about being able to help people figure out these difficult things when they're already going through a difficult process. In my personal life, I'm passionate about being there for my family, particularly my two granddaughters who live in Coffee County - that's actually one of the reasons I'm running for Register of Deeds, so I can be closer to them and be there for more of their activities. I also value giving back to where I live and working in my community. I'm pretty politically active with my local party, and our slogan is 'people over politics,' which really aligns with where I'm at. I just want to try to get past all the bad political environment and focus on what matters. I also enjoy reading and writing in my personal time.