Our Attorneys
Tripp Wiles
Chief Executive Officer
M. Emerson “Tripp” Wiles, III was born in Charleston, South Carolina and was raised in Tennessee. He graduated from The Citadel with a B.A. in Political Science and holds a M.A. from Hawaii Pacific University in Diplomacy and Military Studies. Tripp earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. He is a former Army officer and served in Germany and Macedonia. After serving in the Army, Tripp worked as a research analyst for both the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory-Hawaii and the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office. Tripp authored the book Forgotten Raiders of ‘42. In December 2013, Tripp was appointed by Governor Nikki R. Haley to serve on the Charleston County School Board and was later elected for another term. Over the past decade Tripp has assisted hundreds of individuals in protecting their families and preserving their legacies through customized estate plans. Tripp enjoys spending time with his wife and children.
Matt Chandler
Chief Counsel
Matt is originally from Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2010 and served as an Army Officer at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and on a year-long deployment to the Middle East. Matt earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Georgia School of Law. During law school, he interned for the Honorable Susan Tate of the Athens-Clarke County Probate Court in Athens, Georgia and for Wiles Law Firm. His note, Standoff Between the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) and the Federal Courts: What “Houndstooth Mafia” Means for Judicial Authority Over Administrative Agencies, is published in the 25th volume of the Georgia Journal of Intellectual Property Law. He currently focuses his practice on asset protection and drafting personalized estate plans for clients. Matthew enjoys spending time with his wife and their two daughters.
Kyla M. Huffer
Estate Group Director
Kyla is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Slippery Rock University with a double major in Economics and Finance. She obtained a Juris Doctorate from Charleston School of Law. Prior to joining Wiles Law, Kyla worked as a real estate attorney and assisted hundreds of clients through the real estate closing process. Kyla focuses her practice on trust and probate administration. She enjoys spending time with her husband, family, and friends.
J. Matthew Aronson
Trust Group Director
Matthew received his bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina and was a member of the inaugural class at the Charleston School of Law. Following law school, he clerked for the Administrative Law Court and then joined the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs as a staff attorney and Assistant Consumer Advocate. Matthew then relocated to Atlanta, GA and worked for the AmLaw Top 50 firm of Troutman Pepper. Matthew enjoys spending time with his wife and their two daughters.
Client Relations
Leslie Banta
Leslie was born and raised in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. She graduated from College of Charleston and has worked in client relation management for fifteen years. Joining the Wiles team nearly a decade ago, Leslie serves as Director of Operations for the firm, ensuring the client experience is enjoyable and fulfilling. Often behind the scenes, Leslie’s work is focused on coordinating client matters and strategizing and carrying out goals for the firm. Leslie enjoys spending time with her husband and their two children.
Sarah Jones
Sarah grew up in Kingstree, South Carolina. She graduated from Columbia College with a B.A. in Business Administration and continued her studies to earn an MBA from The Citadel. As the Director of Financial Operations, she is responsible for leading the accounting function, as well as, providing strategic oversight of revenue policies and procedures. Additionally, she provides leadership and coordination through human resources for Wiles Law Firm. Sarah resides in Mt. Pleasant and enjoys spending quality time with her husband, Brian and their three boys.
Alex Cole
Alex was born in Charleston, South Carolina and attended Clemson University, where she served as president of Tri-Delta sorority. Alex continues her philanthropic work through fundraising for the Medical University of South Carolina in her spare time. She enjoys spending time with her husband, their daughter, and family. Alex has been with Wiles Law since 2018, serving as Client Matters Manager, helping to streamline communications and shepherd you through the estate planning process.
Jenna Westerman
Jenna grew up in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. She graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Arts. She is a former teacher with Carolina Park and currently serves as the Plans Manager for Wiles Law. Jenna uses her excellent multitasking skills, thoroughness, and passion for serving others to help clients and their families customize their estate plan. She works closely with clients and their advisors to assist them with personalized asset alignment as well as coordinating their estate plan with their asset portfolio. Jenna enjoys spending time with her family, friends and her chocolate lab, Miller.
Julie Johnston
Julie was born and raised in North Carolina and graduated from Western Carolina University. Prior to joining the Wiles Law team, Julie worked in customer relations and education for 14 years. Now, as a certified Estate Planning paralegal, she enjoys assisting clients through the estate process by offering support, knowledge and security for themselves and their loved ones. Julie enjoys being in the sunshine of the low country and quality time with her husband, Chip and their two daughters.
Karson Jackson
Karson was born and raised in Hickory, North Carolina. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a business management degree. She also obtained a minor in Urban Development and Planning Studies with a focus in historic preservation. During her time at UNC Chapel Hill, she was involved and enjoyed her time with Delight Ministries and was active in tutoring for the Boys and Girls Club. Karson has a passion and gift for helping others. She enjoys spending time at the beach as well as spending time with her friends and family.