Michael J. Egan

Michael Egan
Member of the Georgia Senate from the 40th district
In office June 1989 – January 2001
Preceded by	Paul Coverdell
Succeeded by	Rusty Paul
1st United States Associate Attorney General
In office 1977–1979
President	Jimmy Carter
Preceded by	Position created
Succeeded by	John H. Shenefield
Member of the Georgia House of Representatives from the 25th district
In office January 1973 – June 1977
Succeeded by	John Savage
Member of the Georgia House of Representatives from the 116th district
In office January 1969 – January 1973
Member of the Georgia House of Representatives from the 141st district
In office January 1966 – January 1969
Personal details
Born	Michael Joseph Egan, Jr. August 8, 1926 Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
Died	January 7, 2016 Sandy Springs, Georgia, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Donna Cole ​ (m. 1951)​
Children	6
Education	Yale University (BS) Harvard University (LLB)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1945–1947 1950–1952
Battles/wars	World War II Korean War

Michael Joseph Egan, Jr. (August 8, 1926 – January 7, 2016) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Georgia General Assembly and as the first United States associate attorney general.

Early life and education

Egan was born to Elise (Robider) and Michael Joseph Egan on August 8, 1926, in Savannah, Georgia. The grandson of an Irish immigrant, the Egans had resided in Savannah for generations. Egan attended elementary school taught by the Marist Brothers. He left home to attended prep school in Portsmouth, Rhode Island at Portsmouth Priory School, and graduated in 1945. That same year, Egan was drafted into the United States Army in the concluding year of World War II and was commissioned a second lieutenant, serving in the 86th Infantry Division. Egan was discharged in 1947, after the war's end, and enrolled in Yale University, graduating in 1950. During the Korean War, Egan was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant and recalled to active duty, serving in the 2nd Infantry Division until his discharge in 1952. He then entered Harvard Law School, receiving his law degree in 1955.

Career

After graduating from law school, Egan returned to Georgia and established a law practice in Atlanta.

Egan was first elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1966 and served until 1977. In 1977, Egan resigned from the House when he was appointed United States associate attorney general, by President Jimmy Carter. In 1979, Egan resumed his law practice.

In 1988, he ran for a seat in the Georgia State Senate in a special election, to replace Senator Paul Coverdell who was appointed to the position of director of the Peace Corps by President George H. W. Bush on May 2, 1989. Egan was elected to Coverdell's vacated Senate seat in June, 1989. He served in the Senate, representing District 40 in Metropolitan Atlanta from 1989 to 2001. Egan's willingness to occasionally support an unpopular cause, driven to do so by his own set of ethics, won the respect of colleagues, Republicans and Democrats alike. He became known as "the conscience of the senate" by his Republican colleagues.

After his legislative career ended, Egan, who had retired from active practice with the Atlanta law firm of Sutherland Asbill and Brennan, continued his affiliation with the firm in "as counsel" capacity. In 2001, he was one of the first people appointed to the newly created Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District by Governor Roy Barnes. Egan also served on the board of the Trust for Public Land.

Death

Egan died at his home on January 7, 2016, at the age of 89.