DALLAS, GA (April 7, 2025) – Judges, attorneys, court officials and Paulding residents gathered for the swearing in of Georgia Public Defender Council Paulding Circuit Defender Michael Syrop.
Paulding Superior Court Judge Dean C. Bucci, who administered the oath of office, said Syrop is a valued leader in the judicial circuit, especially for his dedication to accountability courts.
“One of the things he does that you don’t see a lot of people in his position do is he’s personally involved in accountability courts. I’ve been running a drug court program for a while. And he doesn’t just provide someone. He comes and sits to the table and participates,” Bucci said. “So, I appreciate that your heart is in this. Like the director said, second chances are real transformation. You’re helping us transform lives.”
Accountability courts rehabilitate through structured programs, including treatment, counseling, and supervision. By tackling underlying issues, they reduce recidivism, improve lives, and enhance public safety.
Syrop said he is honored to represent GPDC and takes pride in “working with an office of dedicated professionals who provide the highest level of service and representation to those charged with felonies in Paulding County.”
He compared his staff to the 1992 United States men’s Olympic basketball “Dream Team” and said his management style is modeled on the team’s coach, Chuck Daly who said, “I stay out of their way and let them do what they do well.”
“That’s how I run my office most of the time. Because these people that I have working in my office are amazing. They are some of the best attorneys and support staff that I could ever ask.”
GPDC Chief Legal Officer Natalie Glaser said that while Syrop’s oath taking had been delayed by post-Covid court challenges it was something that the agency could not deny him.
“As public defenders we often use Dr. Martin Luther King’s quote that justice delayed is justice denied. This swearing in has been delayed, but is cannot be denied. Mr. Syros has been working zealously for the last two and a half years for this circuit,” Glaser said. “I’m here to introduce the executive director who also did not start her job with a lot of fanfare or celebration because her first day was in March of 2020.”
GPDC Executive Director Alli said she was impressed by the outpouring of support for Syros demonstrated by the size of the gathering.
“Thank you all for being here. I’m very excited to be with you. Maybe it was good to have this delay because it has actually added more excitement,” Alli said.
During Syrop’s relatively short tenure at GPDC he has been recognized as a stand-out. He is one of only 20 attorneys selected for the 2024-2025 Georgia Public Defender Leadership Academy. The nine-month program, developed with the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government, uses workshops, assessments, and practical applications to enhance strategic thinking, communication, conflict resolution, and management skills. The annual program also provides GPDC attorneys opportunities to network and collaborate during sessions across Georgia.
Syrop received his undergraduate degree from Duke University and his Juris Doctorate from Washington University in St. Louis Missouri.
He began as a criminal defense attorney in Cobb County in 1991 and started his own firm early in 1995. Until his 2022 appointment at GPDC Syrop handled cases ranging from misdemeanors to felonies, including capital cases, in Superior and State courts throughout Georgia.
Syrop has been married to attorney Nancy Howard Syrop since 1990, and the couple have two adult daughters. In his spare time Syrop said he enjoys homebrewing beer, pickleball, and taking walks with Nancy and their two rescue dogs, Karma and Bodhi.
The GPDC was founded by the Georgia General Assembly in 2003. Approximately 85 percent of all defendants in Georgia criminal cases are represented by GPDC’s 400+ attorneys operating from offices throughout Georgia. Learn more at www.gapubdef.org.
