Shreveport's Jerry Edwards makes history as first Black federal judge in Western District

Jerry Edwards Jr.'s admits his legal career ascended even faster than he could have dreamed.

Edwards was hired for a clerkship just out of law school in 2003 by the prestigious, century-old Blanchard Walker law firm in Shreveport and by 2014 was a partner there. "They kept hiring me," said Edwards, laughing.

In 2019 Edwards joined the U.S. Attorney's Office in Shreveport, where he served as chief of the civil division in the Western District and was promoted to first assistant in 2022.

And then last year Edwards was nominated by President Joe Biden to a federal judgeship on Louisiana's U.S. Western District Court and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to the bench.

His appointment was historic as the first Black federal judge to serve on the Western District Court and among the youngest in the nation at 45.

"Honestly, I've always aspired to serve at the highest levels, but I didn't see this coming this soon; so many things have to align," Edwards said in an interview with USA Today Network. "It's exciting, but humbling."

Edwards is based at the federal courthouse in Alexandria, but also hears Western District cases in Shreveport and Monroe.

He has maintained his residence in Shreveport, where he is well known for his civic service as outgoing volunteer chairman of the Community Foundation and former chairman of Volunteers of America.

Though he's been working in his new job since December, his appointment was celebrated with a ceremonial swearing in last week in Alexandria at the Coughlin-Saunders Performing Arts Center.

"It was more than I could have wished for," Edwards said. "I had so many friends from Shreveport and Alexandria join me there and family and law school classmates came from as far as California and Japan."

Among those who attended were Edwards' mother Ramona McCann Williams, originally from Shreveport, and his father Jerry Edwards Sr., a retired sergeant major in the U.S. Army who was originally from Ferriday.

"My family has deep roots in northern Louisiana," Edwards said.

Republican Shreveport state Sen. Thomas Pressly, an attorney and friend of Edwards, was also among those who attended.

"Jerry is an incredible public servant who has been dedicated to our Shreveport community," Pressly said.

And his service is expected to span decades on the bench with the lifetime appointment.

"I believe my work in Shreveport has prepared me for this great responsibility, and it's an honor to be able to carry it out here where I've had so much support in my life and my career," he said.

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Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Shreveport's Jerry Edwards makes history as first Black federal judge in Western District