Michael Lanier Edwards

Attorney

Michael focuses on litigation matters for the firm’s clients in Georgia and provides litigation support for clients in South Carolina and Tennessee. Michael also serves as in-house counsel for several Savannah-based businesses.

Michael has 30 years’ experience and extensive knowledge in civil and criminal litigation. In addition to private general practice, he established and oversaw the Eastern Judicial Circuit Public Defenders Office for 11 years as Circuit Public Defender and served as Chief Assistant District for the Eastern Judicial Circuit for two years leading policy and programs. Michael also spent three years on the faculty of Sheffield Hallam University in England where he lectured, oversaw clinical work and served as research manager.

Practice Areas

• Appellate Practice
• Commercial Litigation
• Corporate Law
• Criminal Law
• Employment Law
• Entertainment Law
• Nonprofits

Education

• Georgia Southern College, History B.A., magna cum laude, 1990
• University of Georgia, J.D., 1993
• University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government, Certificate of Local Government Management, 2010

Admissions

• Georgia, 1993
• Supreme Court of Georgia
• Court of Appeals of Georgia
• United States Supreme Court
• United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
• U.S. District Courts, Georgia (Northern, Middle, and Southern)

Professional and Civic Activities and Honors

• Savannah Citizens Accountability and Review of Services Task Force
• Advocates for Restorative Communities in Savannah Task Force Policy Committee
• Racial Equity and Leadership Savannah Task Force
• Bike Walk Savannah, Chairman, Board of Directors (2019-present)
• 2018 Faculty of Development & Society Inspirational Teacher – Nominee, Sheffield Hallam University
• 2016 Faculty of Development & Society Team Award (Social Justice Week) – Nominee, Sheffield Hallam University
• 2008 Virginia Brown Memorial Civic Engagement Award, League of Women Voters of Savannah-Chatham
• 2006 Justice Robert Benham Award for Community Service, State Bar of Georgia
• 2005 Robbie Robinson Award, Savannah Bar Association
• 2005 Person of Impact, Savannah Morning News

Publications

• Best, D., Colman, C., Vanderplasschen, W., Vander Laenen, F., Irving, J., Edwards, M., Hamer, R. & Martinelli, T. (2019). How do mechanisms for behaviour change in addiction recovery apply to desistance from offending? Learning lessons from the REC-PATH programme of work. In D. Best and C. Colman (Eds.), Strengths-Based Approaches to Crime and Substance Use: From Drugs and Crime to Desistance and Recovery. London: Routledge.
• Kawalek, A., Edwards, M. & Best, D. (2018). Recovery and Restorative Justice: Systems for Generating Social Justice. In T. Gavrielides (Ed.), The Routledge International Handbook of Restorative Justice. London: Routledge.
• Edwards, M. (2015). Voir Dire (Chap. 9), Trial Procedures (Chap. 10), Evidence (Chap. 11). In R. Persse (Ed.), LexisNexis Practice Guide: Georgia Criminal Law. New York: LexisNexis.