The Harry T. Edwards papers primarily document his tenure ad a board member and chairman of the board of AMTRAK. There are also files on University of Michigan Law School affairs and several labor arbitration cases in which Edward's participated. Other activities documented include his work as chairman of the rules and credentials committee of the National Women's Conference, 1975, and as member of the executive committee of the Association of American Law Schools; also other files concerning his interest in labor arbitration cases, and his involvement in problems of affirmative action and minority rights at the University.
Judge Harry T. Edwards (born 1940) was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in February 1980 and served as Chief Judge from September 15, 1994, until July 15, 2001. He graduated from Cornell University in 1962 and the University of Michigan Law School in 1965.
Judge Edwards practiced law in Chicago for the firm Seyfarth, Shaw, Fairweather & Geraldson from 1965 to 1970. He then taught at the University of Michigan Law School from 1970 to 1975 and again from 1977 to 1980. In between, he taught at Harvard Law School. He also taught at the Harvard Institute for Educational Management between 1976 and 1982. He served as a member and then Chairman of the Board of Directors of AMTRAK from 1978 to 1980, and also served as a neutral labor arbitrator under a number of major collective bargaining agreements during the 1970s. He was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to the seat vacated by David L. Bazelon.
Judge Edwards has co-authored four books and published articles on labor law, higher education law, federal courts, legal education, professionalism, and judicial administration. Since joining the court, he has taught law at Harvard, Michigan, Duke, Pennsylvania, Georgetown University, and most recently, NYU Law School.
