TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Feb 8, 2023

Gianna Maio has been selected by the advisory board of the Eastern District Federal Community Defender’s Office to succeed Elizabeth “Beth” Ford as head of the office. Maio, 47, will oversee a staff of 50, most of whom are in the Knoxville office. She will work out of the Chattanooga and Greeneville offices, Knoxnews reports. Maio has been with the federal defender’s office since graduating from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 2005. Ford, a career attorney who has run the office since 1999, retired this week. Federal district courts may select public defenders through two methods: the judges of the district may choose or the court may create a nonprofit board of defense attorneys and social work and mental health professionals to make the selection.