Deborah Mordecai Edwards, the principal shareholder of Edwards and Associates, earned an LL.B (Bachelor of Laws) Honors degree from the University of the West Indies Faculty of Law, an LL.M. Degree in International Law from Georgetown University Law Center, and a Juris Doctorate from the University Of Miami School Of Law.  She has been engaged in the practice of law since 1977 and has extensive experience in finance, commercial contracts, real estate and project financing. Ms. Edwards has practiced law in the State of Florida since 1991 and has represented both private and governmental clients, including Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade Expressway Authority; Palm Beach Housing Authority; the City of Miami, the City of North Miami, the City of Hollywood and Florida Housing. Debbie is a member of the 11^th Circuit Advisory Board of Attorney’s Title Insurance Fund and a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers.

 Debbie has extensive experience in representing government agencies and has served as one of the General Counsel to Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX) since 1996.  In that capacity, Debbie has been the presiding legal counsel at Board Meetings, and at the meetings of various committees including the Operations Committee, Budget and Finance, Public Communications, and the Property Acquisition Committee.  She has also served as counsel with regard to various procurement matters.  Debbie is the primary counsel assigned to MDX’s Right of Way Acquisition Program and provides legal oversight over eminent domain counsel, eminent domain matters, and open market acquisitions for MDX.    Debbie drafted the Property Acquisition & Eminent Domain Policy and Procedures Manual for MDX and also drafted MDX’s first procurement manual.

 Debbie’s real estate practice includes representing buyers and sellers in the sale and acquisition of real estate, including easement rights and interests in real estate, negotiation and closing of development financing, residential and commercial mortgages, title research and examination, title insurance and leasing. She has also had many years of experience in the acquisition and financing of affordable single family housing and multifamily rental housing.   

Debbie has many years of experience in project financing which includes the negotiation, documenting and closing of commercial bank loans, and various county, state and federal loans.

Debbie also represents clients in the acquisition and sale of closely held corporations, workouts, start-up businesses, and the preparation of shareholders agreements, employment agreements, joint ventures, limited liability companies, partnerships, and the drafting of a wide range of contractual documents used by businesses in their operations.