Edward D. Buckley

On March 19, 2025, Edward D. Buckley, Buckley Bala Wilson Mew LLP’s founding partner, passed away following a valiant battle with cancer. Ed was a tireless champion of civil rights, and his four-decade career leaves an indelible impact on employment law and constitutional protections in the United States. A relentless advocate for the underdog, Ed spent his career fighting on the front lines for those facing discrimination, harassment, and retaliation – ensuring justice for his clients.

Over his career, Ed became a recognized pioneer in the legal community, proudly representing clients from blue-collar workers to chief executives in every industry across a variety of employment and civil rights cases. He was known for his unwavering empathy, often taking cases that others might shy away from and working relentlessly to find solutions to the most difficult challenges. Through his influence and guidance, Ed shaped the careers of countless employment and civil rights lawyers in both the plaintiffs’ and defense bar.

Ed achieved record-breaking verdicts in employment discrimination and civil rights cases and created caselaw precedent which will be relied upon by lawyers and judges long into the future. Among them, the record-setting $3.47 million verdict in Marshall v. Tidal Wave, the largest single-plaintiff verdict in an employment case in the history of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Smith v. Lockheed-Martin Corp., which defined the Eleventh Circuit’s “convincing mosaic” standard of evidentiary proof.

The lawyers of Buckley Bala Wilson Mew are proud to carry on Ed’s legacy through our work. His influence will continue to inspire future generations of attorneys, advocates, and all those who fight for civil and human rights.