8:00 Welcome and Opening Remarks
Hillary B. Crabtree, Moore & Van Allen PLLC, Charlotte
Michael L. Martinez, Grier Wright Martinez PA, Charlotte
8:05 Best Practices for Managing Debtor Cases from Beginning to End
Heather W. Culp, Essex Richards PA, Charlotte
Brandi R. Snyder, Law Offices of Stroupe & Snyder, Reidsville
Two experienced attorneys with high-volume debtor practices provide practical insight into managing a successful debtor practice.
8:50 Break
9:00 Healthcare Bankruptcies
Brian Bonaviri, Grant Thornton LLP, Charlotte
Andrew H. Sherman, Sills Cummis & Gross PC, Newark, NJ
Thomas W. "Tom" Waldrep Jr., Waldrep LLP, Winston-Salem
Discover legal and practical problems that have arisen in North Carolina healthcare bankruptcies that are not only intriguing but also offer beneficial learning that translates for a variety of bankruptcy matters.
10:00 Break
10:10 Subchapter V Update
Michael T. Bowers, Middlewarth Bowers & Co., Charlotte
Richard P. Cook, Cape Fear Debt Relief, Wilmington
Two members of the newly created Subchapter V trustee pool offer insight into how Subchapter V cases have played out in practice. During this session, speakers discuss recently answered and unanswered questions about the new statute.
10:55 Break
11:05 Ethics and Technology*‡
Edward C. Boltz, Law Offices of John T. Orcutt, Durham
Pamela P. Keenan, Kirschbaum Nanney Keenan & Griffin PA, Raleigh
Listen as the panelists identify legal and ethical challenges of using DocuSign and other means of signing documents electronically.
12:05 Lunch Break
Remarks from the Bench (Optional Event)
This session does not provide MCLE credit.
Chief Judge Laura T. Beyer, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District, Charlotte
Chief Judge Stephani W. Humrickhouse, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District, Raleigh
Chief Judge Lena M. James, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Middle District, Winston-Salem
Participants have the option of attending a discussion via Zoom among Judge Beyer, Judge Humrickhouse and Judge James on their perspectives of the current state of bankruptcy proceedings in North Carolina.
Click here to join via Zoom (Zoom Dial-in | 408 638 0968 | Meeting ID: 921 4930 6029# | Passcode: 704604). Session runs from 12:15-12:45.
You will need to return to this window to watch the remainder of the CLE webcast.
12:50 Litigation Skills: Deposing and Cross-Examining Expert Witnesses
Garland S. Cassada, Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson PA, Charlotte
William P. "Bill" Janvier, Janvier Law Firm PLLC, Raleigh
Learn about the best practices for effective depositions and cross- examinations of opposing expert witnesses in the context of an evidentiary hearing before the bankruptcy court.
1:50 Break
2:00 Ramifications of the CARES Act on Business and Consumer Debtors
William A. "Andy" Barbee, GreerWalker LLP, Charlotte
Koury L. Hicks, Law Offices of John T. Orcutt, Raleigh
Journey into the multitude of challenges and issues that have arisen for businesses and consumers obtaining relief under the CARES Act and the impact of such relief on a pending or future bankruptcy filing.
2:45 Break
2:55 Receivership Statute Update
Kenneth M. Greene, Carruthers & Roth PA, Greensboro
James S. "Charlie" Livermon III, Womble Bond Dickinson, Raleigh
Margaret R. Westbrook, K&L Gates LLP, Raleigh
Examine the newly enacted receivership statutes and how administering receiverships in North Carolina will change going forward.
3:55 Break
4:05 Technology: Effective Presentation Remotely‡
John R. "Jack" Miller, Rayburn Cooper & Durham PA, Charlotte
Rebecca F. Redwine, Hendren Redwine & Malone PLLC, Raleigh
Gain practical skills and strategies for efficiently and effectively appearing at court hearings and 341 meetings from behind a computer.
5:05 Adjourn
*Indicates portion providing Ethics/Professional Responsibility credit
‡Indicates portion providing Technology Training credit
Thank you for joining us for 43rd Annual Bankruptcy Institute!
The 43rd Annual Bankruptcy Institute focuses on emerging concerns facing North Carolina bankruptcy practitioners, including remote presentations, e-signatures, CARES Act issues, healthcare bankruptcies, overall operation of a bankruptcy debtor practice, and more!
William A. "Andy" Barbee, CPA/ABV/CFF, CIRA is the partner of the firm's Litigation and Business Valuation Practice of GreerWalker LLP in Charlotte. He has more than 20 years of experience working in litigation, business valuation, forensic accounting, fraud investigation, bankruptcy, and restructuring. Andy has experience working with counsel and has prepared expert reports on a wide range of issues including damage calculations, business valuation, shareholder disputes, solvency analysis, fraud investigations, preferential/fraudulent conveyances, and viability analysis. Andy has served clients in many industries including the following: Manufacturing, Health Care, Finance (sub-prime lending), Insurance, Technology and Real Estate. Andy is a Certified Public Accountant, North Carolina Certificate # 21659.
Andy is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), AICPA Forensic and Valuation Services Section and the National Funding Association. Andy received his B.B.A. degree Florida Atlantic University in1989 and his Master of Accounting from Florida International University in 1991.
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Edward C. "Ed" Boltz is the managing partner at the Law Offices of John T. Orcutt PC, where he has represented clients in not only Chapter 7 and 13, but also in related consumer rights litigation, including fighting abusive mortgage practices and developing solutions for student loans.
Ed received his B.A. degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1993 and his J.D. degree from George Washington University in 1996. He is a member of the North Carolina State Bar, where he has been certified as a specialist in consumer bankruptcy law. He is admitted to practice before the Districts Courts in both the Eastern and Middle Districts of North Carolina.
Ed served as the President of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys (NACBA) from 2013 through 2016, and remains on its Board of Directors, co-chair the Legislative Committee. He was a commissioner on the American Bankruptcy Institute's Consumer Bankruptcy Commission from 2017-2019. He also served on the Bankruptcy Council for the North Carolina Bar Association, where he co-chaired the Committee which created a Mortgage Modification Program for the North Carolina bankruptcy courts.
Ed is a frequent speaker on bankruptcy issues at both national and local seminars, including at NACBA Conventions and Workshops, past NCLC Workshops, and the North Carolina Bankruptcy Institute.
Ed is also the President of the Monti, a North Carolina organization that produces live storytelling shows and recordings of his and other tales can be heard at www.themonti.org.
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Brian Bonaviri is a Managing Director in Grant Thornton's Advisory practice located in Charlotte. He specializes in financial modeling, strategic planning and review, business plan development and assessment, and corporate bankruptcy advisory.
Brian has over 10 years of advisory experience across a range of industries including healthcare, higher education, not-for-profit, financial services and commercial real estate. His primarily responsibilities have included advising on financial distress, developing 13-week cash flows, developing three statement integrated financial models, assisting clients during restructuring and bankruptcies and assisting with the development of bankruptcy reporting.
During his time with Grant Thornton, Brian has advised numerous health care clients, including Highmark Inc., Mission Health, University of Maryland Medical Systems, Jefferson Health System, Casa Grande Regional Medical Center, Oconee Regional Medical Center, Morehead Memorial Hospital and several behavioral health providers and senior living facilities.
Brian holds his M.B.A. and B.S.B.A. degrees from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Brian is a Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor. He is also a member of the Turnaround Management Association and American Bankruptcy Institute and serves on its Healthcare Committee.
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Michael T. Bowers is a partner at the accounting firm of Middleswarth, Bowers & Co, LLP in Gastonia, North Carolina. Mr. Bowers is a licensed CPA and attorney in North Carolina. He is Accredited in Business Valuations by the AICPA. Mr. Bowers graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a BA in accounting, Winthrop University with an MBA, and from Charlotte School of Law. Mr. Bowers practice is focused on non-traditional accounting. His primary practice is on bankruptcy accounting and taxation issues as the bankruptcy accountant in both chapter 7 and chapter 11 cases, primarily in the Western District. Mr. Bowers also provides business valuations and forensic accounting services for bankruptcy estates and other matters such as ponzi schemes and equitable distribution. Mr. Bowers currently serves as a Subchapter V pool trustee.
Mr. Bowers lives on Lake Wylie with his wife Leianne.
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Garland S. Cassada is a member of Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson PA in Charlotte. He practices in the areas of commercial and corporate litigation, and insolvency, corporate reorganization and debt restructuring matters. He has particular experience in the representation of purchasers of and investors in distressed businesses and assets and is a leader on restructuring issues related to companies with asbestos and other mass tort liability. Garland has been a frequent speaker at bankruptcy seminars, including a LexisNexis Wall Street Forum on Asbestos where he spoke about structuring transactions to avoid successor, fraudulent transfer and veil piercing liability.
Garland previously served on an ad hoc committee, chaired by The Honorable Judge Edward R. Becker, to assist the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. Senate in drafting bankruptcy-related provisions for S.852 (Fairness in Asbestos Resolution Act of 2005).
Garland is a member of the Bankruptcy Section of the North Carolina Bar Association. He received his B.A. degree with distinction from the University of Virginia in 1981 and his J.D. degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1984.
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Richard P. Cook is the owner and managing attorney of Cape Fear Debt Relief, a boutique bankruptcy firm located in Wilmington. Founded in 2011, Cape Fear Debt Relief represents individuals and small businesses in Chapter 7, 11 and 13 cases before the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts in Eastern North Carolina.
Richard is board certified by the North Carolina State Bar as a specialist in both business and consumer bankruptcy law.
In February 2020, Richard was named a Chapter 11 Subchapter V Trustee for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Richard has been selected as a "Rising Star" by Super Lawyers in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, and as a "Super Lawyer" in 2023. He was recognized by the American Bankruptcy Institute as a "40 Under 40" in 2020. He is a regular speaker at state and national bankruptcy conferences. In 2017, 2019, 2020, and 2021, he was recognized as a Pro Bono Honor Society Inductee by the N.C. Pro Bono Resource Center for providing over 50 hours of pro bono legal services each year.
Prior to founding Cape Fear Debt Relief, Richard was an associate attorney with Butler & Butler LLP in Wilmington, and prior to that, an associate attorney with Brock & Scott PLLC in Winston-Salem.
Richard earned his B.A. in Exercise and Sports Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law.
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Hillary B. Crabtree is a member of Moore & Van Allen PLLC in Charlotte. She brings considerable bankruptcy experience, corporate law and restructuring experience to her clients, which have been drawn from such areas as energy, airlines, auto, manufacturing, biopharmaceutical, and retail sales.
Hillary assists clients with reorganizations, finance transactions, contractual matters and general corporate law. In addition, she has extensive bankruptcy experience representing lenders, landlords, manufacturers, suppliers, vendors and debtors in reorganization proceedings. Crabtree is adept in handling commercial real property foreclosures and receiverships for secured lenders. Moreover, she has regularly represented administrative agents and collateral agents in syndicated credit facilities and other financial institutions in secured lending transactions and structured finance/securitization transactions.
Hillary is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association, American Bankruptcy Institute and the International Women's Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation – Carolinas Chapter. She received her B.A. degree from Davidson College 1992 and her J.D. degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law in 1999.
Click here for more information about Hillary.
Heather W. Culp is a partner at Essex Richards PA in Charlotte. She founded the firm's bankruptcy practice in 2014. Her caseload involves bankruptcy, insolvency and other debtor/creditor relations, and commercial litigation.
Heather is a member of the Panel of Chapter 7 Trustees for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of North Carolina. She serves as a substitute trustee in commercial foreclosures in the greater Charlotte metropolitan area; as a receiver in state court cases; and as attorney for receivers. She is panel counsel for Lawyers Mutual of North Carolina, representing and advising insureds facing professional liability in consumer bankruptcy cases.
Heather is licensed to practice in Kentucky (inactive status) as well as North Carolina. A reliable volunteer with bar associations and pro bono agencies, she is Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees for the North Carolina State Bar Plan for Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts (IOLTA) and recipient of the North Carolina Bar Association Bankruptcy Section 2020 Pro Bono Award. She is a past president of the Mecklenburg County Bar (2017-2018) and has served on the NCBA Board of Governors (2015-2018) and the North Carolina Bar Foundation Board of Directors (2015-2018; 2019-2022).
Heather graduated with a B.A., cum laude, with departmental honors, in English literature from Miami University (Oxford, OH) and earned her J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law.
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Thomas C. Flippin is the attorney owner of the Law Offices of Thomas C. Flippin PC in Elkin. He focuses on offering exceptional service in the areas of Elder Law, Estate Planning, Bankruptcy Law and Debt Relief.
Thomas earned his B.S. from Appalachian State University in 1997 and his J.D. from Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, in 2000.
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Kenneth M. Greene is a director and shareholder with the Greensboro, North Carolina law firm of Carruthers & Roth, P.A. He graduated from Washington & Lee University in 1967, magna cum laude, and received his law degree from the University of Virginia in 1970 where he was the associate editor of the Virginia Law Review and inducted into The Order of the Coif. After serving in the Judge Advocate General Corps of the United States Navy, he joined Carruthers & Roth, P.A. in 1974. He is a past president and current fellow of the American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers. He has served on two task forces established by the Business Law Section of the American Bar Association, one that created a model agreement governing the control of deposit accounts and another that created a model intercreditor agreement for first and second lienholders. He has served on the governing council of both the Business Law Section and the Bankruptcy Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association. He was awarded the Business Law Section Distinguished Service Award in 2010, and in 2019 he was awarded the Bankruptcy Section Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a former co-chair of the Legal Opinion Committee of the Business Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association and was a member of a taskforce of the Bankruptcy Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association that drafted the North Carolina Commercial Receivership Act that was enacted by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2020.
Click here for more information about Kenneth.
Koury L. Hicks is a Board-Certified Specialist in Consumer Bankruptcy Law and has been practicing bankruptcy law with the Law Offices of John T. Orcutt since 2008. He is a member of the Bankruptcy Section of the North Carolina Bar Association and the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys. He co-authored the 2012 and 2017 editions of the North Carolina Bankruptcy Practice Manual chapter on Means Testing. He received his B.S. degree from the University of New Mexico in 2001 and his J.D. degree from the University of New Mexico in 2006.
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William P. "Bill" Janvier is of counsel with Stevens Martin Vaughn & Tadych PLLC in Raleigh. He has helped individuals and businesses file successful bankruptcy cases throughout North Carolina. Bill works with business of all types, and has filed bankruptcy cases for builders, developers, restaurants, retail chains, farms, medical practices, distributors, shopping centers, office buildings, golf courses, landfills, technology companies, pharmaceutical companies, media companies, mines, and high- income individuals. He has brought and defended hundreds of adversary proceedings.
Bill served for a decade on the Eastern District of North Carolina (EDNC) Bankruptcy Court's Local Rules Committee, served as a panel Chapter 7 Trustee, served as Chairman of the Bankruptcy Section of the North Carolina Bar Association, served as a Director for the Eastern Bankruptcy Institute and served as a Director for the American Board of Certification.
Bill is a Board-Certified Specialist in Business and Consumer Bankruptcy.
Bill earned his B.A. from Rice University and his J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law.
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Pamela P. Keenan is a partner with Kirschbaum Nanney Keenan & Griffin PA in Raleigh. She concentrates her practice in the areas of commercial litigation and creditors' rights in both the state and federal courts throughout North Carolina, with special expertise in representing lenders for the automobile industry in various types of litigation, including bankruptcy, replevin actions, lienholder petitions in state and federal forfeiture actions, and defending various consumer claims under state and federal consumer protection statutes against such lenders. Pamela is a member of the Wake County, North Carolina and Texas Bar Associations, American Bankruptcy Institute and the North Carolina Creditors Bar Association. She received her B.A. degree with highest honors from the University of Texas/Arlington in 1984 and her J.D. degree from Southern Methodist University in 1987.
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James C. "Jim" Lanik is a partner at Waldrep Wall Babcock & Bailey PLLC in Winston-Salem. Prior to joining the firm, he was a partner at Waldrep LLP and an associate and then member at Roberson, Haworth & Reese PLLC focusing on business bankruptcy and municipal law.
Jim is Board Certified in Business Bankruptcy Law by the North Carolina State Bar and by the American Board of Certification. He has represented trustees, creditors, and debtors in all aspects of business bankruptcy cases. Jim is currently on the panel of Chapter 7 Trustees for the Middle District of North Carolina. Jim acts as a receiver in state court matters in addition to his Chapter 7 trustee practice.
Jim is also the Town Attorney for Midway, North Carolina, a small town in northern Davidson County which was incorporated in 2006.
Jim earned his B.A. from Lawrence University of Wisconsin and his J.D. from University of Denver College of Law.
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James S. "Charlie" Livermon, III is a partner with the law firm of Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP in its Raleigh, North Carolina office. He graduated from the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University in 1999, and is a board certified specialist in business and consumer bankruptcy. In 2015, he was awarded Business North Carolina magazine's Legal Elite Top Lawyer in Bankruptcy. He has twice served on the governing council of the Bankruptcy Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association and currently serves as the co-chair of the Legislative Committee of the Bankruptcy Law Section. He was a member of a taskforce of the Bankruptcy Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association that drafted the North Carolina Commercial Receivership Act that was enacted by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2020.
Click here for more information about Charlie.
Michael L. Martinez is a parter at Grier Wright Martinez PA in Charlotte. He commonly represents federal equity receivers, state court receivers, debtors-in-possession, chapter 11 trustees, and chapter 7 trustees, in addition to serving on the subchapter V trustee pool in Charlotte.
Michael is a Board-Certified Specialist in Business Bankruptcy Law by the North Carolina State Bar. He was selected to the American Bankruptcy Institute's 40 Under 40 Class of 2020 and has been recognized in Bankruptcy Law by North Carolina Super Lawyers since 2018 and by Business North Carolina's Legal Elite since 2021. He received the 2013 Legal Services of Southern Piedmont Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award and the 2018 Outstanding Achievement in Pro Bono Award from the NCBA Bankruptcy Section.
Michael earned his B.A., cum laude, in Political Science and English, with a Concentration in Film and Media Studies, from the University of Florida and his J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law.
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John R. "Jack" Miller graduated in 1997 from the University of Virginia with a B.A. degree in Environmental Sciences and his J.D. degree from Wake Forest School of Law in 2002. He began career with Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A., in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2002, and has been a shareholder with RCD since 2009. Jack is a board-certified specialist in Business Bankruptcy Law, certified by both the North Carolina Board of Specialization and the American Board of Certification. Jack primarily represents businesses and official committees in chapter 11 proceedings, and much of his work pertains to borrower-side out of court workouts and restructurings for businesses. He is a frequent speaker on business bankruptcy-related issues and has been on the Business North Carolina Legal Elite and SuperLawyers lists for about the last ten years.
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Kristen Scott Nardone is the founding member of Nardone Law Firm PLLC in Concord. She graduated from Wake Forest University School of Law in 2001. She served as a law clerk for the Honorable J. Craig Whitley in the WDNC and Thomas W. Waldrep, Jr. in the MDNC.
Kristen is certified as a specialist in consumer bankruptcy law by the North Carolina State Bar. She authored a chapter in the North Carolina Bankruptcy Practice Manual on Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceedings in 2012 and 2017.
Kristen has filed over 1,000 consumer bankruptcy proceedings as well as prosecuted adversary proceedings regarding violations of the Bankruptcy Code, mortgage servicing errors, and state law claims.
Kristen is married and has fourteen-year- old twin daughters. In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis and golf.
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Jeffrey E. "Jeff" Oleynik is a partner at Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey & Leonard LLP in Greensboro. He is a seasoned business litigator handling a wide range of corporate disputes, many of which end up in bankruptcy court. Jeff represents clients on disputes involving ownership, management and control of companies, and is frequently involved in antitrust matters.
Jeff often litigates antitrust issues, but also consults with clients on how to avoid "crossing the line" and creating antitrust and noncompetition issues on the front end, prior to any dispute with a competitor or vendor.
Separate and apart from handing litigation over unfair competition issues, Jeff also consults clients about business practices and compliance with both federal and state antitrust laws and regulations such as Hart Scott Rudino, including analysis of Hart Scott Rudino as applied to sale of a company or joint venture of companies in the same industry.
Jeff earned his B.A. from William & Mary in 1980 and his J.D. from University of Virginia School of Law in 1983.
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Rebecca F. Redwine is a partner at Hendren Redwine & Malone PLLC in Raleigh. She focuses her practice on Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 bankruptcies for both businesses and individuals. Additionally, she counsels clients experiencing insolvency, and assists them in workouts and settlements with various lenders. She is a board certified business bankruptcy specialist and a North Carolina certified Superior Court mediator.
Rebecca has also served as Unsecured Creditors Committee Counsel in Chapter 11 bankruptcies in North Carolina, as well as the role of an Examiner in Chapter 11s and as a state court receiver. She is admitted to practice in the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina in the United States District Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Rebecca was appointed to the Local Rules Committee for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina in 2018 and as Chair of the Bankruptcy Law Specialty Committee for the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization in 2023. She holds various leadership roles with the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI), the International Women's Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC), the American Board of Certification and the North Carolina Bar Association. She is a frequent presenter at bankruptcy conferences and is a guest lecturer in bankruptcy classes at the University of North Carolina School of Law and Campbell University School of Law.
In October 2018, Rebecca was named as a 2018 "40 Under 40" honoree by the American Bankruptcy Institute, which received and considered more than 300 nominations nationwide.
Rebecca earned her B.A., summa cum laude, in English from North Carolina State University and her J.D., with honors at the University of North Carolina School of Law.
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Ciara L. Rogers is a partner at Waldrep Wall Babcock & Bailey PLLC in Raleigh. Her practice focuses on Debtors' and Creditors' Rights, Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Representing Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Trustees, serving as a Subchapter-V Trustee, General Litigation, and Employment Law.
Before joining Waldrep Wall Babcock & Bailey, PLLC, Ciara was an attorney with the Law Offices of Oliver & Cheek. Prior to that, she was a law clerk to the Honorable J. Rich Leonard and the Honorable Randy D. Doub of the Eastern District of North Carolina, Bankruptcy Court. During law school, she interned with the Bankruptcy Administrator's Office in the Eastern District of North Carolina.
In 2018, Ciara was selected as the director of the Stubbs Bankruptcy Clinic at Campbell University School of Law. In that capacity, she supervises second– and third-year law students in providing pro bono bankruptcy representation to low wealth individuals in the Eastern District of North Carolina. She has also taught the foundations of bankruptcy law course at Campbell University School of Law and speaks at conferences on various bankruptcy related topics.
Ciara is a member of the North Carolina and Virginia State Bars and the North Carolina Bar Association. She is also certified as a specialist in business bankruptcy by the North Carolina State Bar.
Ciara earned dual B.S degrees in History and Political Science from Averett University and her J.D. from North Carolina Central University School of Law.
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George F. Sanderson III is the principal at The Sanderson Law Firm PLLC in Raleigh. For 20 years, George has advised individuals and companies on a wide array of business bankruptcy and business litigation matters. He was a partner in one of the top boutique law firms in North Carolina and has been associated with two other nationally recognized law firms. He has appeared in courts and arbitration tribunals in North Carolina and throughout the country.
George's bankruptcy experience includes representing debtors, creditors, officers, directors, and trustees in numerous corporate Chapter 11 and 7 bankruptcies. He has counseled clients on restructurings, loan workouts, asset purchases and sales, lease assumptions and rejections, preferences, fraudulent transfers, vendor claims, officer and director liability, and lender liability issues.
George's litigation experience includes disputes involving corporate lending, corporate control, receiverships, foreclosures, unfair and deceptive trade practices, covenants not to compete, antitrust, securities, liens, and real estate appraisal and other asset valuation issues.
George earned his A.B., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University and his J.D. from New York University School of Law.
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Andrew H. Sherman is a member of Sills Cummis & Gross PC in Newark, New Jersey. He is Chair of the Firm’s Creditors' Rights/Bankruptcy Reorganization Practice Group. He has represented clients in a broad range of complex business reorganizations, debt restructurings and insolvency matters throughout the country. In addition to advising companies experiencing financial difficulties, Mr. Sherman routinely represents lenders and other parties in financings and acquisitions involving troubled companies. He has focused his practice on representing investment management firms in debt restructuring matters, commercial workouts, and Chapter 11 cases. In addition, he has represented parties in significant commercial litigation in the New York and New Jersey federal and state courts.
Andrew is a member of the American, New York State and Essex County Bar Associations. He is also a member of the Turnaround Management Association and the American Bankruptcy Institute.
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Brandi R. Snyder is a partner with Stroupe & Snyder Law in Reidsville. Her specialties are bankruptcy and debtor/creditor law. She has worked primarily as a Consumer Bankruptcy Attorney since August 2008. My main office is in Reidsville, NC, but I also maintain an office in Henderson, NC. In 2014, I expanded my practice and began representing clients in matters involving juvenile law, real estate, estate planning and administration, Creditor's rights/debt collection, Social Security Disability, traffic offenses, adoptions, small business formations, and civil litigation.
Brandi received her B.A. degree, summa cum laude, from Averett University in 2004 and her J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from North Carolina Central University School of Law in 2008.
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Thomas W. "Tom" Waldrep Jr. is one of the founders of Waldrep Wall Babcock & Bailey PLLC in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He practices business bankruptcy and regularly represents secured creditors, debtors, committees, and trustees. Mr. Waldrep was a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Middle District of North Carolina. Mr. Waldrep's healthcare experience dates to the 1990s. He has served as debtor's counsel and as Chapter 11 trustee for numerous ALFs, SNFs, and hospitals; litigated with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; and served as buyer's counsel for the purchase of ALFs, SNFs, and hospitals, in and out of bankruptcy. While on the bench, he presided over several cases involving ALFs, SNFs, and home health care companies. He has served as outside general counsel for one of the largest senior healthcare companies in the United States. Mr. Waldrep is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, the National Association of Federal Equity Receivers, and the Turnaround Management Association. He served the North Carolina Bar Association in several different capacities, including as Chair of the Bankruptcy Section and as a member of the Board of Governors. Mr. Waldrep is a frequent lecturer at continuing legal education seminars and law schools and has written several law journal articles on insolvency issues. He received his B.A. from Purdue University in 1979 and his J.D. from the Indiana University School of Law in 1983, where he served as Managing Editor of the Indiana Law Journal. Click here for more information about Tom.
Margaret R. Westbrook is a partner in the Raleigh office of K&L Gates LLP. She represents clients in a variety of insolvency matters across the country. She currently serves as the U.S. practice group coordinator for the Firm's Restructuring and Insolvency Practice Group.
Margaret is a member of the Board of the American Bankruptcy Law Journal and the President of Carolinas Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association. She is the immediate past Chair of the North Carolina Bankruptcy Section Council. She is recognized for her work on behalf of her clients and the bankruptcy bar in Chambers USA, Best Lawyers in America and as a Fellow in the American College of Bankruptcy.
Margaret is a member of the American College of Bankruptcy, North Carolina Bar Association, Turnaround Management Association and the Wake County Bar Association.
Margaret received her B.A. in Public Policy and History from the University of North Carolina and her J.D., with honors, from the University of North Carolina School of Law.
Click here for more information about Margaret.
