William Thaddeus Coleman III facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William Thaddeus Coleman III
Coleman in 1995
General Counsel of the Army
In office 1994–1999
President	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	William J. Haynes II
Succeeded by	Charles A. Blanchard
Personal details
Born	1947 (age 77–78) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Spouse	Allegra Saenz Coleman ​ (m. 2003)​
Children	2 biological, 4 stepchildren
Parents	William Thaddeus Coleman Jr. Lovida Hardin
Education	Williams College (BA) Yale University (JD)
Profession	Lawyer

William Thaddeus Coleman III (born in 1947) is an American lawyer. He worked for the United States Army as its main lawyer, called the General Counsel of the Army. He held this important job during the time Bill Clinton was president.

Early Life and Education

William Thaddeus Coleman III was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on April 20, 1947. His parents were William Thaddeus Coleman Jr. and Lovida Hardin.

He went to Williams College and earned a bachelor's degree in 1970. Later, he studied law at Yale Law School, finishing in 1973. While at Yale, he became good friends with another law student, Bill Clinton. They even shared a room during their second year of law school.

After law school, Coleman worked for a federal judge named Edward T. Gignoux. This job, called a "clerkship," helps new lawyers learn how courts work.

Career in Law and Government

In 1974, William Coleman became a lawyer in the state of Georgia. He worked as a lawyer for many years.

When his friend Bill Clinton became the President of the United States in the 1990s, President Clinton chose Coleman for a very important role. He was appointed the General Counsel of the Army. This means he was the chief lawyer for the entire United States Army. He gave legal advice and handled legal matters for the Army.

Family Life

William Coleman married Allegra Saenz Coleman in 2003. They have two children together: William Thaddeus Coleman IV and Amadeus Alexander-Browne Coleman. He also has four stepchildren.