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 held an important job in the United States government. He served as the top lawyer for the United States Army during the time Bill Clinton was president.

Early Life and Education

William T. 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 of Arts degree in 1970. After that, he studied law at Yale Law School, getting his law degree in 1973.

While at Yale Law School, he became good friends with another student, Bill Clinton. They even shared a room during their second year of law school. After finishing his studies, Coleman worked for a federal judge named Edward T. Gignoux. This job is called a "clerkship" and helps new lawyers learn more about how courts work.

Career in Law and Government

In 1974, William Coleman III became a licensed lawyer in Georgia. This meant he could officially practice law. Later, when his friend Bill Clinton became the President of the United States, Coleman was chosen for a big role. He was appointed as the General Counsel of the Army. This means he was the chief legal advisor for the entire U.S. Army. He helped make sure the Army followed all laws and rules.

During his time as General Counsel, there was an investigation into some complaints about his behavior. The investigation was done by the Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Defense. After looking into everything, the investigation found that while he had told some jokes that might have been inappropriate, he had not done anything seriously wrong. He continued to serve in his role until 1999.

Family Life

William T. Coleman III 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 from his wife's previous marriage.