Aylia McKee

Chief Public Defender

 

Aylia McKee is the first Public Defender for Montgomery County.  She was appointed in 2014, and is responsible for developing and leading the Office.  Under her leadership the Law Office offers a client-centered and holistic approach to criminal defense that seeks to address clients' most pressing legal and social support needs.

 

She has spent her entire career serving the Montgomery community.  Prior to her appointment, Mrs. McKee defended indigent clients charged with federal offenses as an Assistant Federal Defender with the Office of the Federal Defender for the Middle District of Alabama.  She also worked as a Deputy district Attorney early in her career.

 

Mrs. McKee was raised in California before her family moved to Alabama.  She earned her B.A., summa cum laude, and her J.D. from the University of Alabama.

 

As part of her commitment, Mrs. McKee has worked with local schools, churches and community organizations to offer a Know Your Rights presentation to inform adolescents about their rights and certain conduct that can lead one to be involved in the criminal justice system.  Know Your Rights is an interactive powerpoint presentation to provide legal knowledge and information on the gamut of state and federal offenses -- ranging from sexting to conspiracy to firearms and drugs -- and the rights and protections conferred under our 4th, 5th and 6th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

 

 

Professional Activities and Memberships:

 

  • Appointed Counsel and Indigent Representation Committee, Alabama State Bar, 2017- present
  • Alabama Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Member
  • National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Member
  • Alabama Youth Justice Coalition, 2015 - present
  • Montgomery County Bar Association, Grievance Committee, 2015 - present
  • Alabama Sentencing Standards Committee, 2015 - present
  • Healthy Minds Network, Data Work Group, 2015 - 2017
  • SAMSHA's GAINS Center, Sequential Intercept Mapping (SIM) Workshop (Montgomery) 2015
  • Faulkner Law Indigent Defense Panel, 2016 - 2018
  • J.W. Wright Leadership Development Institute, Inaugural Class, 2016 - 2017
  • Alabama State Bar, 2005 - Present
  • Know Your Rights Presentation, 2012 - present