Jeff Gedbaw earned his undergraduate degree in criminal justice from the University of Nebraska-Omaha then attended the University of Nebraska, where he earned his law degree. Upon graduation, he was eager to begin work as a trial lawyer, so he joined the Missouri State Public Defender System and began his career as a criminal defense attorney. During his time with the Missouri State Public Defender, he perfected his skills as a not only an excellent trial attorney but also as an excellent litigator and negotiator. He developed a reputation as a criminal defense attorney who would strongly advocate to protect the constitutional rights of his clients, whether that was through negotiating excellent plea offers for them when necessary or through trial advocacy in front of juries.