About Holly K.
Holly K. Stephens began her academic path at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she completed a Bachelor of Arts in 2016, majoring in political science and education. She went on to attend the University of Georgia School of Law, finishing her J.D. in 2021 after beginning law school in 2018. Those years shaped her interest in public service and courtroom work.
Fresh from law school, Stephens joined the Glynn County Public Defender's Office as an assistant public defender in 2021. In that role she stepped into the fast pace of trial calendars and client interviews. She worked on a range of criminal matters, managing cases from initial appearances through disposition and representing people who could not afford private counsel.
Her day-to-day work combined courtroom advocacy with legal research, motion practice and negotiation. Stephens handled arraignments and pretrial hearings, advised clients on plea options and prepared cases for trial when necessary. The job required quick judgment and clear communication with clients, prosecutors and judges. Colleagues say the work built practical skills that do not always appear on a resume: courtroom timing, procedural fluency and the ability to explain complex law in plain language.
Stephens is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, a status she has held since 2021. She is admitted to practice in Georgia and has spent her legal career in that jurisdiction. Her association membership keeps her connected to continuing legal education and the professional standards that govern Georgia lawyers.
Outside the courthouse Stephens has kept a steady focus on public defense practice. Her academic background in political science and education informs how she communicates with clients and assesses structural issues in individual cases. She has navigated the shifting rules and procedures that define state criminal practice since taking the bench as a defender.
As of 2026 Stephens continues to work in Georgia, practicing criminal defense through her role at the Glynn County Public Defender's Office and representing clients in state court matters.
