Jay Steed, a former Metropolitan Nashville and federal public defender, has joined the law firm of Jones, Hawkins & Farmer as partner.

After earning his law degree and a master's in philosohy from Duke University in 1999, Steed spent five years as assistant public defender at the Office of the Metropolitan Public Defender, where he had interned the year before under current Mayor Karl Dean. He then took on a similar role at the federal public defender's office for the Middle District of Tennessee.

“Jay is an outstanding veteran trial lawyer of both the federal and state criminal defense bar,” said firm partner Bill Farmer. “We are delighted he is joining our firm.”

Steed, a native of Charlotte who has known Farmer and his son Jonathan for a decade, will concentrate his work on criminal defense and also handle some civil litigation.

“There are five very strong partners, and the firm’s strength is its people,” Steed said. “I’m excited to bring 10 years of trial and appellate experience to private practice.”