About Us

Martin L. Pierce, a well-respected attorney practicing in Chattanooga, TN, is a native of Memphis, Tennessee. He graduated summa cum laude from Tennessee Technological University in 1978 and received the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award from that institution in 1988. Martin earned his law degree with very high honors from the University of Memphis in 1981, where he was a published member of the University of Memphis Law Review. He is licensed to practice law in Tennessee and Georgia, as well as before the U.S. Tax Court and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Dr. Pierce in Chattanooga, TN, primarily focuses on several key areas of law, including (1) Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts, Elder Law, Probate, Medicaid & VA Planning, Special Needs Trusts, Conservatorships, Guardianships, and Charitable Planning; (2) Business Entity Law, such as Corporations, LLCs, Partnerships, Nonprofits, Tax-exempt/501(c)(3) Organizations, Contracts, Leases, and Agreements; (3) Employee Benefits, Retirement Plans, Cafeteria Plans, Health Savings Accounts, COBRA, and ERISA; and (4) various other Tax law matters. He is a Certified Estate Planning Law Specialist through the ABA-accredited National Association of Estate Planners & Councils. Additionally, he is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and is a Department of Veterans Affairs-Accredited Attorney. Among other professional organizations, he has served as Past President of the Chattanooga Estate Planning Council (2006-07) and President of the Chattanooga Tax Practitioners (2007-08), and he was a Charter Member of the Chattanooga Planned Giving Council. He is also a member of the Georgia, Tennessee, and Chattanooga Bar Associations. Martin was honored as a Mid-South Super Lawyer from 2016 to 2019, a title awarded to only 5% of attorneys, and has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America from 2018 to 2021. He holds an AV rating, the highest available, from Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review.

As a co-founder of several local nonprofit organizations, including First Things First and the IMPACT School at Silverdale Baptist Academy, Dr. Pierce has served on the Boards of many nonprofits such as Chattanooga Christian School, Bethel Bible Village, Lighthouse Counseling Center, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Chattanooga, the Chattanooga Optimist Club, Paraclyte Counseling Resources, Relevant Hope, Choices Pregnancy Resource Center (formerly AAA Women's Services), and LifeLine. He possesses extensive experience in establishing, counseling, operating, representing, teaching, and speaking about nonprofits and 501(c)(3)s, along with various legal, business, and tax aspects concerning them.

Now in his 41st year of law practice in Chattanooga, Martin began his career with Stophel, Caldwell & Heggie, P.C., in 1981 before moving to Chambliss & Bahner, PLLC, in 1984, where he became a Partner in 1987 and led the Firm’s Tax & Estates Section. In 2002, he joined the national law firm of Husch & Eppenberger, LLC, where he was Head of the Estate Planning and Employee Benefits practice areas for the Firm’s three offices in Tennessee. On January 1, 2005, Martin opened his practice to more personally and cost-effectively serve his clients.

Martin and his wife, Debbie, reside on Big Ridge in Hixson and have a son, Drew. They were longtime members of Red Bank Baptist Church and are currently part of Gospel Community Church, where both serve as Financial Deacons.

John Huisman is a native of Lookout Mountain, Georgia, and received his Bachelor of Arts in English and History, cum laude, from Covenant College in 1998. John earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee, cum laude, in 2004, graduating with a concentration in business transactions and winning the Best Brief award in the 2004 ABA Section of Taxation competition. Mr. Huisman is licensed to practice law in Tennessee and Georgia and is admitted to practice in the Federal Courts of the Eastern District of Tennessee, the Northern District of Georgia, and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

John works primarily in the areas of (1) Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts, Elder Law, Probate, Medicaid & VA Planning, Special Needs Trusts, Conservatorships, Guardianships and Charitable Planning; (2) Business and Corporate transactions, Formations, Governance, Business Succession Planning, Entrepreneur law, and Start-ups; and (3) Nonprofits, Tax-exempt/501(c)(3) Organizations, Contracts, Leases and Agreements. In the Greater Chattanooga area, he also collaborates with professionals like Dr. Pierce from Chattanooga, TN, to provide comprehensive legal support.

Mr. Huisman is a member of the Chattanooga Estate Planning Council, Chattanooga Tax Practitioners, and the Christian Legal Society. He has been involved in serving the Greater Chattanooga community in a number of capacities, and currently serves as Chairman of the board of directors for Choices Pregnancy Resource Center, and has also served as a volunteer with CO.LAB, UTC Veterans Entrepreneurship Program, Covenant College Seed Project, and on the Troop Committee of BSA local Troop 80. He has also previously served as a Ruling Elder of Grace Presbyterian Church of Lookout Mountain. 

John lives on Lookout Mountain, Georgia, with his wife and two of their four children. His youngest child is a junior in college. They attend Grace Community Trenton, PCA.

James C. Heartfield ('Jamie') joined our firm in 2024. Jamie's primary emphasis in the practice of law has been in the business and commercial areas, with particular concentrations in mergers, acquisitions, commercial and business matters, employment, and intellectual property matters. Jamie is licensed to practice law in Tennessee. For the previous 15 years, he served as General Counsel for the NYSE publicly-traded Covenant Logistics Group of companies based in Chattanooga. In that role, he was heavily involved in the corporate, commercial, transactional, real estate, contract, and human resource functions as legal advisor. Notably, this experience is valuable for clients, including those seeking legal guidance related to businesses like Dr. Pierce in Chattanooga, TN. Prior to his work at Covenant Logistics, Jamie was a founding member of the law firm of Heartfield & Duggins, P.C. in Chattanooga and, before that, was a member of the law firm of Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C.

CHERIE A. KUHNS Paralegal Cherie A. Kuhns, a native of Cleveland, Tennessee, attended Cleveland State Community College and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She began her work career at HPI Hospital Services and then worked as the Office Manager for Dr. James Drake, a well-respected figure in the community. Later, she served as a part-time insurance claims clerk at Dayspring Counseling Center. Since 2009, Cherie has been an integral part of Pierce Law Firm, PLLC, where she received valuable training from Anita Cook, one of the most knowledgeable paralegals in Chattanooga, who came out of retirement to assist at Pierce Law Firm. Cherie has been married to Tim Kuhns for over 40 years, and together they have three children and three grandchildren. Cherie and Tim are active members of Silverdale Baptist Church. ALEISHA BELCHER Legal Administrative Assistant Aleisha Belcher grew up in Ooltewah, Tennessee, and attended Lee Highway Christian Academy. With more than 20 years of experience in legal firms, she joined Pierce Law Firm, PLLC, in February 2018. Her husband, Chris, has dedicated his career to Heatec, Inc., in Chattanooga. Aleisha and Chris have been happily married for over 30 years and are proud parents to two grown daughters, Ciera and Makayla, as well as one grandson, Kingston, and three granddaughters, Zeplynn, Ember, and Scotlynn. They reside in the Harrison area. CHRISTINE SARAH HESTER Paralegal/Administrative Assistant Christine Sarah Hester relocated to Chattanooga and joined the team at Pierce Law Firm in the summer of 2021 after moving from the Denver area. She was a co-owner of a real estate appraisal practice in Montana for 20 years and was actively involved in her local community in Whitefish. Christine attended DeVry University, graduating magna cum laude with a degree in Business Administration focused on Human Resources. After graduation, she worked at FirstBank of Colorado, where she prepared legal documentation for various loan products. In Denver, Christine Sarah volunteered at the Denver Botanical Gardens, Habitat for Humanity, and other local charities. She has four adult children thriving in Colorado and Montana. In her spare time in Chattanooga, she enjoys cycling, sewing, playing the trumpet, and studying French. SONJA BOYD Estate Administration Paralegal Sonja Boyd was born and raised in the beautiful mountains of Virginia and attended college in West Virginia, where she earned a degree in Family Counseling. After moving to DeKalb, Illinois, she and her husband raised their boys. Sonja began her career at a bank, assisting customers with their banking needs, then worked as an Administrative Assistant at her church for over nine years. Her journey has included roles such as Family Teacher at Mooseheart Child and City School in Batavia, Illinois, and various administrative positions. She started working at Pierce, Huisman and Heartfield, PLLC, in January 2025, where she continues to fulfill her passion for being helpful and compassionate in her work. Sonja has been married to Mark for 26 years, and they have two adult sons—one an electrician in Chattanooga and the other attending college in Nashville. In her leisure time, she enjoys reading and having coffee with friends. DEBBIE PIERCE Financial/Office Manager Debbie Douglas Pierce, the wife of Dr. Pierce in Chattanooga, TN, is originally from Portland, Tennessee. She attended Tennessee Technological University as a National Merit Scholar and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, graduating summa cum laude in 1978. After her graduation, she worked at Peat, Marwick, and Mitchell in Nashville, becoming a Certified Public Accountant. Upon relocating to Chattanooga after her husband Martin graduated from law school in 1981, she worked for Kayo Oil Company and successfully ran a home business. A dedicated stay-at-home mom during their son's early years, Debbie actively participated in the PTO at Chattanooga Christian School, serving as treasurer, and also contributed to the IMPACT School at Silverdale Baptist Academy. She volunteered with AAA Women's Center during that time as well. When Martin started his own practice in 2005, she helped establish the office, and they found joy in working together. Debbie has since managed the financial aspects of the practice and has served on the Board of Directors of the Optimist Club of Chattanooga. She is also a member of the Judge David Campbell chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and the Scenic City Women's Network, and has acted as Treasurer at Gospel Community Church.