The Legal Defense Fund (LDF) mourns the loss of Edward Still, an attorney whose legal advocacy in voting rights and redistricting transformed democracy in Alabama and across the nation. Over the course of his illustrious five-decade career, Mr. Still led powerful voting rights litigation and advocacy, representing Black voters and other voters of color in more than 200 cases under the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Mr. Still passed away at 79 years old on September 1, 2025.
“We are profoundly saddened by the loss of attorney Edward Still, a legendary voting rights advocate and close legal partner of LDF,” said Todd A. Cox, LDF Associate Director-Counsel. “Mr. Still’s tireless commitment to protecting the rights of Black communities in Alabama helped build political power and strengthen our nation’s democracy. With a sharp legal mind and an extraordinary spirit, Mr. Still advanced the fulfillment of America’s most foundational values of equality and justice for all. We extend our deepest condolences to Mr. Still’s family and loved ones. His legacy will endure through the continued fight for a fair and inclusive democracy.”
Mr. Still began his legal career in Tuscaloosa in 1971, later practicing in Birmingham for more than two decades before serving as Director of the Voting Rights Project of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law in Washington, D.C., from 1997 to 2001. He subsequently worked as Special Counsel at Dickstein Shapiro Morin & Oshinsky LLP before returning to Birmingham, where he continued his work on behalf of communities across Alabama and beyond.
For more than fifty years, Mr. Still led groundbreaking litigation to solidify the promise of full democratic participation for Alabama communities. Mr. Still was part of the legal team in City of Mobile v. Bolden, the Supreme Court case that led to Congress amending the Voting Rights Act to strengthen its protections against racial discrimination in voting in 1982. He then helped litigate Dillard v. Crenshaw, the landmark case that transformed local elections throughout Alabama to allow Black representation in local government. Mr. Still maintained a close relationship with LDF for many years through voting rights and redistricting litigation, including serving as co-counsel on a number of cases including Dillard v. Crenshaw, Mobile v. Bolden, Escambia County v. McMillan, Shelby v. Holder, Pensacola v. Jenkins, Hayden v. Pataki, Bozeman v. Lambert, Reno v. Bossier Parish School Board, and Cromartie v. Hunt.
Mr. Still also advised Alabama cities on redistricting, served as general counsel to the Alabama Democratic Party, and played a key role in major election contests, including representing former Alabama Attorney General Bill Baxley. His expertise and dedication made him one of the nation’s leading voices in redistricting and voting rights law.
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Founded in 1940, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) is the nation’s first civil rights law organization. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the Legal Defense Fund or LDF. Please note that LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights.
