Michael L. Edwards is the Circuit Public Defender for the Eastern Judicial Circuit of Georgia (Chatham County), a position he has held for four years. Prior to this appointment Michael maintained an active private practice with an emphasis on criminal defence, including death penalty litigation and employment law.

Michael received his BA, magna cum laude, from Georgia Southern College in 1990, and his JD from the University of Georgia in May 1993. He was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in June 1993, and is currently Savannah Bar Association President. He is also secretary of the Chatham County Criminal Justice Information System Board, and a board member of both the Chatham County Drug Court and Mental Health Court.

Michael has received numerous awards, including the Savannah Bar Association’s Robbie Robinson Award in recognition of outstanding personal contribution to the goals of professional service, protection of the rights of individuals and the promotion of justice through law in May 2005. Also in 2005, with his wife Linda, Michael founded Pickin’ Up the Pieces Relief Corps, Inc., a non-profit disaster relief and recovery organisation focused on Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. He was named a 2005 Person of Impact by the Savannah Morning News.

Michael participated in session 2d - Opportunity or cost: students and international experience.