Professor Martin Edwards Shines at MC Law School

MC Law professor Martin Edwards

Professor Martin Edwards cherishes the deep sense of community at Mississippi College Law School.

From students to faculty and alumni, it’s a close-knit MC Law family in downtown Jackson.

Martin Edwards practically grew up at MC Law. His mother, Professor Emerita Cecile “Celie” Edwards taught at MC Law for 37 years. “She helped build the law school. I’m hoping I can also contribute to its continued success and growth.”

The law school’s convenient location within walking distance of the Mississippi Capitol as well as scores of state agencies and a number of firms is a major asset for students.

“Our students set the tone for this both in the classroom and in how quickly they get plugged in with local lawyers, judges, and other leaders.”

A 2013 graduate of Duke University’s law school, Martin Edwards focuses on academic research examining how people interact with the law and the economy. “My most recent research project involves the wild world of Amazon third-party sellers.”

Making news in 2020, there are many people offering ways to regulate or break up tech giants such as Amazon. The Seattle-based multinational technology company is all about e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming and artificial intelligence.

Commending his research skills and ability to connect with students, MC Law colleagues applaud the Mississippian’s job performance.

“Professor Edwards is passionate about teaching,” says Phillip McIntosh, director of the Center for Civil Law Studies. “He is very intellectual, but he makes the material in his courses accessible to his students. He is building a reputation as a fine young scholar in his writings on corporate and business law.”

Law professor Matthew Steffey notes Martin Edwards “shares a natural, friendly rapport with the students since he’s not so far removed from being a student and young lawyer himself.”

Dean Patricia Bennett is delighted to have the young law professor aboard.

Starting his 2^nd year on the MC Law faculty, the Brandon resident makes family a big priority.

He and his wife, Annie, a youth court prosecutor in Rankin County, are the parents of a four-month-old baby girl Annabella, better known as Bella. Annie serves as a leader in child welfare and juvenile justice. If time permits, Martin enjoys cooking and golfing.

Before going to work on the Jackson campus in 2019, Martin Edwards taught two years at the Tulane University Law School in New Orleans. He earlier practiced law at Phelps Dunbar LLP in Jackson. In addition, Edwards served as a law clerk to Judge Leslie Southwick of the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. He worked with the consumer affairs division of the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office in Jackson in 2014-15.

A 2010 graduate of the University of Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in accountancy, Edwards teaches contracts and business associations at MC Law.

Teaching at the law school in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic definitely requires adjustments.

“Having one cohort of students in the classroom and the other on Zoom is challenging,” he says. “But our leadership at the law school put a ton of thought and energy into how to connect with everyone. I think it is working out very well. The students are clearly working hard even when they are away from the classroom.”

As the son of a longtime MC Law professor, teaching is embedded in Martin’s DNA. “The thing I love most about teaching is watching students discover and engage with real-life legal issues that they’ve never thought about before.”