BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation today announced that J. Pierce Shields, a seasoned tax attorney, banker, and national-scale fundraiser, has joined the staff as National Director of Advancement.

Shields comes to the Foundation with a strong background that includes four years overseeing a major bank’s trust and private wealth department and almost a decade of work as the Assistant Director of Planned Giving at the National Rifle Association. More recently, he served for two years as the National Director of Advancement at Firearms Policy Coalition. Shields brings over two decades of experience in planned giving.

A resident of Pennsylvania, Shields has been involved in the Second Amendment space from a very early age, as an avid hunter and finding enjoyment in various shooting disciplines. He holds a Juris Doctorate from Widener University Law School and a Master of Laws in taxation from Villanova University and bachelor’s degree in Law from Rowan University.

“We are fortunate to have Pierce coming aboard, especially at this moment when SAF is greatly expanding its legal activities,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “We’re looking at potential litigation on several fronts, and we need to expand our base of support to fulfill our mission of restoring firearms freedom, one lawsuit at a time.”

“Pierce’s decision to join the SAF development team is exciting,” said Executive Director Adam Kraut. “As states and municipalities continue to flaunt the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision, there is no shortage of constitutional challenges to bring. Having a robust fundraising program will enable SAF to continue to lead the legal field in identifying, challenging, and winning Second Amendment cases, as we have been doing for years.”

“I am very excited to join the Second Amendment Foundation team to help continue and support SAF’s mission and the future of Second Amendment preservation, restoration, and advancement,” Shields said. “SAF has an unprecedented reputation in the Second Amendment community, which is in no small part due to its founder and Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb. With the recent addition of Adam Kraut as the Executive Director, I have no doubt that SAF will continue to be at the forefront of all things pertaining to the Right to Keep and Bear Arms in the legal arena. It is an honor be a part of this organization and an integral part of funding it for the future.”

The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation’s oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 720,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.

Contact: Alan Gottlieb (425) 454-7012