Meigan Thompson

Assistant Public Defender

Meigan serves as an assistant public defender in the Adult Trial Division of the Law Office of the Shelby County Public Defender. Renowned for her dedication and fierce advocacy, Meigan is committed to defending the rights of her clients and striving to divert as many individuals as possible from the criminal justice system. Her approach to legal practice is deeply rooted in the human experience, focusing on how carceral systems impact the lives of those she represents.

In 2020, Meigan founded The Humanity Project, a unique storytelling initiative documenting the experiences of individuals incarcerated during the coronavirus pandemic. Through recorded narratives and detailed descriptions, The Humanity Project shed light on the realities faced by the incarcerated during an unprecedented global crisis. This impactful work culminated in an October 2020 profile in The Washington Post, which featured a ‘day in the life’ segment, following Meigan through one hour of her routine and highlighting her commitment to her clients and justice reform

Before embarking on her legal career in 2017, Meigan was deeply involved in social justice advocacy. In Mississippi, she organized communities to address youth incarceration and the school-to-prison pipeline at the Southern Poverty Law Center. Her work also extended to health justice issues, where she led advocacy campaigns with the Mississippi Center for Justice.

Meigan is a Gideon’s Promise Law School Partnership Program Fellow (class of 2017). She earned her J.D. from the University of California Irvine Law School, a M.S. from Delta State University in Community Development and a B.A. from Spelman College in Spanish.