President Trump Names Two Members of Missouri Attorney General Offices Team to Serve as Federal Judgeships

May 6, 2025 4:12 pm

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – In a historic first for President Donald J. Trump’s 2025 judicial nominations, two attorneys from Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s Office have been nominated to serve as federal judges on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri: Solicitor General Joshua Divine and Principal Deputy Solicitor General Maria Lanahan.

“This is a proud moment for our office and the state of Missouri,” said Attorney General Bailey. “Josh and Maria are two of the finest legal minds in America. Their work has set the gold standard for legal excellence, and their nominations are a testament to the powerhouse team we have built in Missouri.”

Josh Divine serves as Missouri’s Solicitor General and Director of Special Litigation. A graduate of Yale Law School and former clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and Eleventh Circuit Chief Judge William Pryor, Divine has led the AGO’s appellate and special litigation teams in several high-profile victories. He was the architect of Missouri’s successful efforts to stop President Biden’s unlawful student loan forgiveness scheme—a case that saved American taxpayers $475 billion. Divine also spearheaded Missouri’s legal strategy to defend laws protecting children from radical transgender ideology and child mutilation clinics, securing a major win in Noe v. Parson.

“Josh has been the driving force behind some of the most consequential legal battles this office has ever taken on,” said Attorney General Bailey. “Whether it was dismantling the Biden Administration’s unlawful student loan bailout or shutting down radical attempts to harm Missouri children, Josh brought precision, grit, and leadership every step of the way. His impact has fundamentally changed the legal landscape in Missouri and across the country.”

Maria Lanahan, Principal Deputy Solicitor General, has been a consistent and key component of the AGO’s legal successes over the years. A graduate of the University of Chicago Law School, she clerked for Judge Raymond Gruender on the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals and for Justice Zahra on the Michigan Supreme Court; she  previously practiced at Thompson Coburn LLP and Charter Communications. At the AGO, Lanahan has contributed to major wins across a broad spectrum of cases, including statutory interpretation, tax litigation, writs, and constitutional issues. She was recently honored with the Dixon Award for Appellate Advocacy.

“Maria has taken on a wide range of important cases during her time in our office and has played a vital role in this office’s success,” said Attorney General Bailey. “I am confident she will serve with distinction and judgment as a federal judge.”

In recent years, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office has become one of the nation’s most influential public law offices, producing multiple attorneys tapped for federal judicial appointments.

“Missouri is leading the nation in legal talent, and these nominations prove it,” concluded Attorney General Bailey. “If you want to serve in the highest levels of the American legal system, there is no better place to be than the Missouri Attorney General’s Office.”