Sofia Nelson is a program director of MDefenders and a lecturer at the University of Michigan Law School. They co-teach the Public Defender Training Institute with Professor Eve Primus. 

Before joining Michigan Law, Nelson spent a decade as a public defender, litigating trial and appellate matters. Nelson’s experience includes jury trials, juvenile lifer resentencings, and arguments before the Michigan Supreme Court and the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Nelson’s academic interests include abolition, public defense as harm reduction, and the evolving jurisprudence of gun rights. Nelson is particularly committed to mentoring students interested in careers in public defense. 

Related Information

Areas of Interest

Education
  • Tufts University, BA, summa cum laude, political science and women and gender studies
  • Yale University, JD