Edwards, William R

    A native of Washington, John is a graduate of J.F.K. Catholic and Washington High School. In 1999, John graduated summa cum laude from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice. John completed the Honors Program while at Edinboro University. He was selected by the faculty of the Political Science and Criminal Justice Department as its Outstanding Senior. In his senior year at Edinboro University, John interned for criminal defense Attorney Don Lewis in Meadville, Pennsylvania. In 2002, John graduated from Duquesne University School of Law. During his final year at Duquesne, John was enrolled in the law school’s Criminal Law Clinical Program. As part of this program, John practiced law as a certified legal intern for the Allegheny County Public Defender’s Office. There he represented clients in preliminary hearings before Pittsburgh Magistrates Court. While at Duquesne Law, John also contributed articles to Juris Magazine. John was awarded the CALI Excellence for the Future Award for achieving the highest grade in his Trial Advocacy course with Professor M.J. Tocci.

    From 2002 until 2003, John worked as a law clerk for the Honorable Kim R. Gibson in the Somerset County Court of Common Pleas. John also worked as the Somerset County Law Librarian during his time as Judge Gibson’s clerk. In 2003, when President Bush appointed Judge Gibson to the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Judge Gibson invited John to be his law clerk. John clerked for Judge Gibson in the Johnstown Division of the U.S. District Court from 2003 until 2009.

    In 2009, John chose to open his own practice in Murrysville, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. He maintained a general practice with a focus on criminal defense. John performed court-appointed representation in Westmoreland County for both criminal defendants and parties in juvenile dependency proceedings. John also represented parties in federal civil and criminal litigation. Prior to joining the Julian Law Firm in 2012, John held the position of career associate in the Employment Law Group of Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe, LLP.