He attended Georgia State University and graduated from Atlanta Law School. For the past 18 years he has served in the Georgia House of Representative, 14 of those years as Chair of House Judiciary, and authored or sponsored several major legislative initiatives, including the Evidence Code, new Juvenile Justice Code, Georgia Garnishment law and Civil Forfeiture law.
In recognition of his legislative accomplishments, Mr. Willard has been honored numerous times including the Georgia Council on Aging twice, with their annual Legislator Award, the Department of Human Resources with their Leadership Award, the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia, and the Georgia Municipal Association as a “Champion of Georgia’s Cities."
In 2013, Mr. Willard was honored by the State Bar of Georgia with the “Lifetime Achievement Award," which is presented annually to a member of the Bar for his service to the Bar and community. He was also recognized for his service to the children of Georgia as recipient of the Big Voice for Children Award.
Mr. Willard resides in Sandy Springs with his wife Vicki. Active in the Sandy Springs and North Fulton communities, he serves on the board of The Newtown Park Foundation.