Michael N. Atwell

Michael Neal Atwell was born on June 21, 1942, in Chicago, Illinois. His family relocated to Los Angeles when he was six and later settled in Burlingame, California, where he completed high school. He attended San Jose State College and the College of San Mateo, earned his undergraduate degree from San Francisco State, and completed his legal education at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. He was admitted to the California bar in 1968 and to the State Bar of Nevada in 1978.

Over a legal career spanning both sides of the Sierra, Atwell served the public in a range of roles, working as a county conflict attorney, an assistant district attorney, and an assistant public defender in El Dorado County. After moving to the South Shore of Lake Tahoe in the early 1970s, he built a private practice in the region. He capped his career as District Attorney of Alpine County, California - a position he described as his dream job - before his retirement.

Beyond his practice, Atwell was an active and engaged member of his community. He supported the local law library, participated in the Sunrise Kiwanis, and was involved in the area's theater and arts communities. He was also a founding member of the Tallac Association. Michael N. Atwell died on December 23, 2022, in Folsom, California.