I’ve tried to find something on the case, but, same as Ross, I didn’t find anything about defense lawyers. The only thing I learnt is that Giovanni Salvi is the chief prosecutor in the case and that there was 11th suspect, Yemane Andemarian, accused of smugling and kidnaping refugees (http://www.repubblica.it/cronaca/2014/12/03/news/immigrati_per_il_naufragio_che_provoc_la_morte_di_244_persone_arrestati_11_eritrei-101999154/).

I also read something about Mahmud Seid Mahamud Kar:

“Agents of the state police in Catania arrested the Seid Mahmud Mahamud Kar on the arrest warrants issued on March 2 by a court in Catania, which has become final on September 28 following the verdict of the Supreme Court of Cassation” (http://www.ecodisicilia.com/2015/09/30/catania-arresto-favoreggiamento-dellimmigrazione-clandestina/).

Maybe an Italian speaker could find more about it in Corte di Cassazione documents (http://www.cortedicassazione.it/corte-di-cassazione/). Unfortunately, as I understand only a little bit of Italian, I was unable to do this.