Stephens & DiRado, LLP

Mark E. Stephens

Managing Partner

Stephens & DiRado, LLP

Mark E. Stephens is one of Tennessee’s most respected and experienced criminal defense attorneys. With over four decades of courtroom experience, he has tried more than 75 jury trials and earned a reputation for fiercely protecting the rights of the accused throughout Knoxville and East Tennessee.

As the managing partner at Stephens & DiRado, LLP, Mr. Stephens brings unmatched perspective to every case. He began his legal career in private practice, focusing exclusively on criminal defense. Early on, he served as an assistant district attorney in Knox County, gaining valuable insight into how prosecutors build their cases—insight he now uses to dismantle them.



In 1990, Mr. Stephens was elected as Knox County’s first Public Defender. Over his 29-year tenure, he founded and led the Knox County Public Defender’s Community Law Office, earning national acclaim for innovation and advocacy. His leadership earned him numerous honors, including terms as President of the Tennessee District Public Defender’s Conference and Chair of the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Indigent Defense Commission.

After retiring from public service, he returned to private practice and co-founded Stephens & DiRado, LLP to continue his mission of client-focused criminal defense.

Mr. Stephens is nationally recognized for his trial expertise. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers—an elite distinction limited to the top 1% of lawyers. He has been honored with the Robert W. Richie Award (twice), the Stephen B. Bright Award from Gideon’s Promise, and the Knoxville Bar Association’s Law & Liberty Award.

A committed educator, Mr. Stephens has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Tennessee College of Law since 2004. He was named Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member in 2017 and has been instrumental in the UT Innocence Project.



When not in the courtroom or classroom, he enjoys golf and spending time with his wife and three daughters.

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