Michael Edwards, Founder and CEO

Celebrating 25 years as a member of the State Bar of Georgia, and 3 years as a university lecturer, Michael combined his legal and academic experiences in 2018 to form Phoenix 50 Consulting, LLC (PHX50) to share his knowledge and expertise in law and criminology as a lawyer, social science researcher and consultant. Michael’s entire professional career has been devoted to improving the lives of vulnerable people, particularly those whose lives have intersected with the criminal justice system, through direct legal representation, education and training of young legal professionals and students, and academic research. He has also devoted his free time to community re-building in disadvantage and natural disaster-affected communities. His passion is supporting people to rise from the ashes of psychological, social, economic and educational challenges to engage in productive and meaningful lives and improve well-being and resilience.

Michael practiced criminal defense law for over 20 years, beginning in private practice in 1993. He handled a wide range of criminal and juvenile delinquency cases, including defending capital cases in both state and federal court. In 2004 Michael was selected to be the first Circuit Public Defender (CPD) for the Eastern Judicial Circuit of Georgia, which includes the historic coastal city of Savannah. He oversaw the development of the office from 9 staff to nearly 40, with a budget increase from around $400,000 to nearly $3.5 million. Locally, he was active in organizing Chatham County’s Drug, Mental Health, Veterans and Competency courts. His was the first Circuit Public Defender’s office to secure a full-time social worker. At the state level, he was involved in policy development for the Georgia Public Defender Council, frequently testifying in legislative hearings, and was an active member of the agency’s training committee. Michael tried well over 100 cases, many involving clients with severe substance abuse or mental health or co-occurring disorders.

Michael served as CPD until 2015, when he took up post as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Law and Criminology (DLC) at Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England, a top 5 modern university for research in the UK. There Michael tutored students in the nationally award-winning Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice’s criminal appeals and prison law clinics, lectured in various law and criminology subjects, and served as DLC’s research manager. In the latter role, Michael was also an active member of DLC’s desistance and recovery research cluster and worked closely with internationally recognized recovery expert Professor David Best. Michael was project manager on local, regional, national and international research projects with a combined value of over £1 million. He has been a speaker and trainer in the UK, Europe and the US and authored and co-authored a number of peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and research reports.

Phoenix 50 Consulting, LLC is a platform from which Michael can share his combined legal and academic experiences and expertise to lawyers and social services workers in the justice system, policymakers in the legislative assembly rooms, teachers in the classrooms, community organizers on the streets and in the civic centers, and others who share a desire to enhance community and individual well-being. PHX50 is available to work in all 50 states and internationally.