Penn Stuart is a distinguished law firm with attorney Rick J. Bearfield serving as an Officer in its Johnson City office, specializing in insurance defense and coverage as well as a broad spectrum of commercial and business law. With over 37 years of transactional experience and 35 years as a trial attorney, Rick handles some of the firm’s most complex matters and is also a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 Mediator.
Rick’s practice is centered on providing comprehensive legal counsel to a diverse clientele, including real estate developers, banks, contractors, medical and professional practices, and commercial enterprises. His extensive background includes examining over 10,000 real estate titles and teaching real estate law at East Tennessee State University for 18 years, underscoring his deep expertise in both litigation and transactional work across state and federal courts.
Services Offered
- Insurance Defense & Coverage
- Commercial Litigation
- Business Representation & Consulting
- Business Organizations (Formations, Mergers, Acquisitions, Consolidations, Reorganizations, Dissolutions)
- Commercial Real Estate Transactions (Acquisition, Development, Financing, Leasing)
- Estate Administration
- Mediation & Arbitration
- Appellate Practice
- Professional Liability
- Estate Litigation
- Employment Litigation
- Bankruptcy & Creditors’ Rights
- Business Torts
- Complex Litigation
- Real Estate Development
- Real Estate Financing
- Construction Law
- Estate Planning (Wills, Trusts, Business Succession, Powers of Attorney, Medical Directives)
- Commercial Transactions
- Corporate Formation & Governance
- Commercial Lending
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Outside General Counsel
Rick is admitted to practice in Tennessee and Texas, as well as multiple U.S. District Courts, the Fourth and Sixth Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court. His representative transactions include multi-state acquisitions, large-scale title certifications, and mergers across various industries, reinforcing his capability in high-stakes legal matters.
