Chloe Akers has been practicing criminal defense for over ten years. She is tenacious in her representation of clients and has litigated numerous trials before both judges and juries. After graduating from Cornell University with a Bachelor’s Degree in English, she returned home to Knoxville and attended the University of Tennessee College of Law where she earned her Juris Doctorate cum laude.
Ms. Akers began her career as an Associate Public Defender with the Defender Association of Philadelphia. During her four years with the office, she tried well over fifty felony cases to judges sitting in the Court of Common Pleas and was soon promoted to the prestigious Major Crimes Unit where she defended clients charged with violent crimes, drug distribution, and sexual assault claims. In this capacity, she engaged with numerous scientific experts in the fields of fingerprint analysis, DNA collection, and evaluation, as well as ballistics and gunshot residue assessments. As a result of this experience, she possesses a fundamental understanding and knowledge within these areas and is highly skilled in both the cross-examination of expert conclusions, as well as the successful presentation of this evidence to juries.
Ms. Akers is also well-versed in the legal communities of Knoxville and the surrounding areas having practiced for a number of years with the Knoxville Public Defender’s Community Law Office. As a senior attorney in the felony trial unit, she defended multiple homicide cases as well as a numerous DUI-related offenses, including charges of vehicular homicide. She also developed a special interest in working with juveniles and young people and has studied adolescent brain development and juvenile forensic psychology. As a result of her experience in this area, she recently presented a guest lecture on the ethics of juvenile culpability at Fordham University Law School and has trained lawyers on issues surrounding this topic at the Tennessee Public Defender Conference.
Finally, Ms. Akers has also worked as an Associate Federal Defender with both the Federal Defender of Wisconsin, as well as the Federal Defender of the Western District of Washington in Seattle. In this capacity, she drafted appeals to both the Seventh and Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeals in which she tackled complex legal and evidentiary issues. Her diverse and varied professional background translates to an unmatched ability to manage the legal and factual intricacies of her cases and to present nuanced arguments resulting in successful outcomes for her clients.
