Justin Faith Honored as Fellow of American Bar Foundation

Gearhiser, Peters, Elliott, & Cannon, PLLC

GPEC attorney Justin Faith was recently honored and named as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation (ABF).


The ABF is an honorary organization of distinguished attorneys, judges, law faculty, and legal scholars who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in the profession and service to society. Faith was nominated by his Tennessee lawyer peers and selected by the ABF Board, where membership is strictly limited to only 1% of lawyers licensed to practice in each jurisdiction. The ABF is a seventy-year old impartial and non-partisan nonprofit, independent research institute which supports and advances the most pressing and cutting edge legal research issues facing the legal system.


Faith focuses his practice on civil business litigation and estate litigation. Faith has been involved in bar leadership at the local, state, and national level and has been recognized as a Super Lawyers®️ Rising Star in Business Litigation for the past several years. Faith earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisville.

David McDowell was elected to serve as the Vice President of the Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Fellows

July 10, 2025
At the 144th Annual Tennessee Bar Association Convention, David McDowell was elected to serve as the Vice President of the Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Fellows, and began another term of service as the East Tennessee Governor on the Tennessee Bar Association Board of Governors.

Longtime Legal Leader Sam D. Elliott Takes Helm of Tennessee Bar Foundation

July 10, 2025
On July 1, 2025, Sam D. Elliott, a member of the firm, assumed the chairmanship of the Tennessee Bar Foundation Board of Trustees. A member of the Board since 2019, Sam will serve a one-year term as chairman. The Tennessee Bar Foundation was established in 1982. Its mission is to administer Tennessee’s IOLTA (Interest On Lawyers’ Trust Accounts) program, honor distinguished attorneys as "Fellows," and support law-related public interest projects. The IOLTA program supports Tennessee’s Legal Aid programs and other non-profit organizations which provide legal services to the poor and/or work to improve the administration of justice. Sam is a former president of the Tennessee and Chattanooga Bar Associations and also currently serves as Chairman of the Tennessee Historical Commission.