Legal Aid Attorneys & Staff Serving East Tennessee Residents

Mary Frances DeVoe

Director of the Pro Bono Project

As the Director of the Pro Bono Project, Mary Frances leads the volunteer attorney efforts across all 26 counties in LAET’s service area, helping ensure the private bar is an essential tool in meeting client needs. Mary Frances graduated from Elon University in 2016 and earned her law degree from Belmont University College of Law. She is an active member of the Chattanooga Bar Association and the Tennessee Bar Association, having held leadership positions with both. She is a graduate on Leadership Chattanooga and was named Volunteer of the Year by the Chattanooga Bar Association in 2023.

Mark Jackson

Grants Manager

As Grants Manager, Mark is responsible for securing and maintaining grant funding, proposal authorship, research, developing reports, and ensuring compliance with all regulations. He holds an MA in English and has raised funds for a variety of nonprofits for decades.

Emily O’Donnell

The Chattanooga Eviction Prevention Initiative Managing Attorney

Emily O’Donnell is the Managing Attorney for the LAET Eviction Prevention Initiative. She received her undergraduate degree in Political Science at the University of the South and her law degree at Georgia State University College of Law. Emily began her legal career at LAET, where she practiced for eight years. She then enjoyed a wide variety of positions in nonprofits, private practice, and government. She founded EPI in 2020 with partners at the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, then returned to LAET to work full time on EPI in 2024.

Michael Davis, Esq.

The Knox County Eviction Prevention Program Managing Attorney

Michael is the Managing Attorney of the EPP and previously served as Staff Attorney in LAET’s Mental Health Legal Partnership. Prior to practicing law, Michael was a mental health case manager/social worker for adults and children, which informs his current practice of helping those with housing needs. Originally from Benton, Tennessee, Michael graduated from The University of Tennessee College of Law and has been with LAET since 2020.

Chris Berryman

Director of Development & Communications

Chris is the Director of Development & Communications and has worked in nonprofit leadership for over 30 years. On staff with LAET since late 2023, he is also an adjunct professor with the University of Tennessee and serves on several nonprofit boards, councils, and advisory committees in the Chattanooga region.

Melissa Brumfield, MBA, CPA

Director of Finance

Melissa oversees the organization’s financial operations, long-term strategies, and fiscal well-being. Other responsibilities include the budgeting process, financial forecasting, annual audits, capital expenditures, resource allocation, internal controls, and risk management. She earned her BS degrees in Accounting and Finance, as well as her MBA, from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Melissa is also a licensed Certified Public Accountant.

Charlie McDaniel, Esq., SHRM-CP

Director of Human Resources

Charlie serves as the Director of Human Resources, where he supports staff across the program. His work focuses on employee relations, organization policy, recruitment and hiring, benefits administration, and helping serve our staff, so they may better serve our clients. Charlie received his Juris Doctor from The University of Memphis School of Law and is a SHRM Certified Practitioner.

Holly Fuller, Esq.

Director of Operations

Holly is both the Director of Operations and a Staff Attorney. She joined LAET in 2019 and has practiced law since 2013.

Deborah (Deban) Yeomans-Barton, Esq.

Deputy Director

Deban serves as LAET’s Deputy Director and has been with the organization for 37 years. She graduated from Tennessee Wesleyan College and obtained her law degree from The University of Tennessee College of Law.

Debra House, Esq.

Executive Director

Debra is the Executive Director of LAET, where she served in various capacities her entire legal career of 38 years. Debra holds leadership positions with the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services and the Tennessee Bar Association. She received her BS from Western Michigan University and her law degree from The University of Tennessee College of Law, where she serves as an adjunct professor.

Russell Fowler, Esq.

Director of Litigation and Chattanooga Managing Attorney

Russell oversees program-wide litigation and appellate strategy, legal training, client services quality, and federal regulation and LAET case priorities compliance. He is also Managing Attorney of the Chattanooga office. He earned his law degree at the University of Memphis and was with a leading Memphis litigation firm for a decade before joining LAET. Additionally, Russell teaches lawyers’ mandatory continuing legal education courses and is an adjunct professor with the University of Tennessee.

Cathy Allshouse, Esq.

Cleveland Managing Attorney

Formerly the Executive Director of Southeast Tennessee Legal Services, Cathy has worked in law for decades, primarily focused on family law and access to justice initiatives. Now Managing Attorney of LAET’s Cleveland office, she oversees staff and daily operations, in addition to maintaining an active and substantial caseload. Cathy is an active member of the Tennessee Bar Association’s Family Law Section Executive Council, the Bradley County Bar Association, and multiple nonprofit boards.

Jeffrey Armstrong, Esq.

Morristown Managing Attorney

Jeffrey is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the Villanova University School of Law. Prior to joining LAET, he served as Directing Attorney at the Appalachian Research and Defense Fund of Kentucky.

Amanda Simpson, Esq.

Johnson City Managing Attorney

As Managing Attorney, Amanda provides strategic leadership for the office’s legal services, ensuring excellence in client representation and fostering innovative responses to regional challenges. In addition to her management responsibilities, she maintains an active and varied caseload. Amanda moved to the Johnson City area in 2010 from Warrensburg, Missouri, and earned her Juris Doctor from the Belmont University College of Law.

Robert Downs, Esq.

Knoxville Managing Attorney

As Managing Attorney, Robert oversees daily operations, ensures high-quality representation, compliance with ethical standards, and identifies emerging community legal needs. Robert moved to the Knoxville area from Kentucky and served four years as a patrol officer with the Knoxville Police Department. He then earned his Juris Doctor from The University of Tennessee College of Law and he has been with LAET since 2012.

Meet the Leadership Team

Robert Downs, Esq.

Amanda Simpson, Esq.

Jeffrey Armstrong, Esq.

Cathy Allshouse, Esq.

Russell Fowler, Esq.

Debra House, Esq.

Deborah (Deban) Yeomans-Barton, Esq.

Holly Fuller, Esq.

Charlie McDaniel, Esq., SHRM-CP

Melissa Brumfield, MBA, CPA

Chris Berryman

Michael Davis, Esq.

Emily O’Donnell

Mary Frances DeVoe

Mark Jackson

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