About Shults Law Offices
David R. Shults
David was a founding member of the law firm. He started practicing in Erwin, TN immediate after graduating from the University of Tennessee College of Law, now known as Winston College of Law. He was the Unicoi County Sessions Court Judge for thirty-two consecutive years, making him one of the longest serving judges in the State of Tennessee. For a large number of those years, he served as both judge and attorney, representing clients in other courts. He is an experienced litigator. He is licensed in all Tennessee state courts. His areas of practice include civil litigation, insurance defense, personal injury, probate (wills and estates), and conservatorships. Partner Doug is his "little brother."
Douglas K. Shults
Doug joined the law firm in 1986. He is a 1981 graduate of East Tennessee State University (B.S., Business Administration). Doug graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law (Winston College of Law) with High Honors in 1983. While in law school, he received the American Jurisprudence award in several subjects and was inducted in the Order of the Coif, an honor society for law students who are in the top ten percent of the class. He is licensed in all Tennessee state courts, as well as the Eastern District Federal Court. Doug serves as the County Attorney for Unicoi County, Tennessee. He also represents local entities and businesses such as Erwin Utilities and Clinchfield Federal Credit Union. Doug is a Title Insurance Agent and brings decades of real estate experience to the closing table. His practice areas include real estate, estate planning and probate, and civil litigation. He and Sarah have been married for over 40 years and have two adult children and three dogs, with whom Doug is often hiking.
Sarah R. Shults
Sarah joined the firm in 2006. She graduated with Highest Honors from the University of Tennessee in 1985 (B.S., Political Science and English). Sarah graduated with Honors from the University of Tennessee College of Law (Winston College of Law) in 1988. She formerly served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee. She is licensed to practice in all Tennessee state courts and has made multiple appearances in appellate courts at the state and federal level. She has served as Municipal Judge for the Town of Erwin since 2010. Her areas of practice include civil Litigation, family law (divorces, parenting plans, adoptions), Juvenile Law, bankruptcy for creditors, conservatorships, and probate matters. She and Doug love practicing law with their family and to benefit of their community.
Mary Beth Shults-Kumar
Mary Beth Shults-Kumar grew up in Erwin, TN. She graduated as a Brock Scholar from the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga and also completed a semester of studies in Aix-en- Provence, France. She is a graduate of the University College of London where she obtained her master's degree, and she obtained her law degree from George Washington University where she served as Chief Editor of the law review for international law in domestic courts. She with honors and went into private practice in Washington D.C. She left private practice to serve as an attorney to the United States Senate. She and her husband moved to the area after she joined the firm in June of 2025, bringing another generation of the Shults family to carry on our family tradition of serving the good folks of East Tennessee. She and her husband love to travel and she has visited more than a dozen countries and many cities in the U.S.