Tag: Firm News

Waldrep Wall Babcock & Bailey PLLC is pleased to announce that Business North Carolina has recognized four of its attorneys among the magazine’s Legal Elite for 2025, which honors attorneys chosen by their peers. Annually, each member of the North Carolina State Bar receives a ballot from the magazine asking for their input on who they consider to be the best in each category of law.

For the 2025 Legal Elite class, around 1,300 attorneys received votes. Below are the Waldrep Wall attorneys who were recognized.

Bankruptcy Law

• James C. Lanik
• Jennifer Lyday
• Ciara L. Rogers
• Kevin L. Sink

Previously, partner John Babcock achieved Hall of Fame status in the Business Law category of the 2018 Legal Elite class, receiving the most votes in the category that year.

Partner Jennifer Lyday was recently named to the 2025 International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC) Board of Directors. Founded in 1993, IWIRC is the premier networking organization for women in the restructuring and insolvency professions in various disciplines, including law, crisis management, financial advisory, banking, private equity, claims management, communications, and more.

IWIRC has more than 2400 members in 55 networks in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Australia and Asia. Jennifer will serve as Membership Services Co-Director on the Membership Services Committee, which is dedicated to connecting members with resources to meet their needs. The Committee also manages important processes for the organization, such as new network onboarding, member engagement, and membership growth and retention.

Waldrep Wall Babcock & Bailey PLLC is pleased to announce Best Lawyers named the firm to its list of “Best Law Firms” in the United States for 2025. Best Lawyers produces the annual rankings using a combination of client feedback, peer reviews, and law firm surveys. The “Best Law Firms” recognition is considered one of the highest standards in the legal industry. 

Below are the various tiers and practice areas in which Waldrep Wall ranked in the Raleigh and Triad metropolitan areas: 

Metropolitan Tier 1 

• Raleigh
  • Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law 
  • Litigation – Bankruptcy 
• Triad
  • Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law 
  • Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) 
  • Commercial Litigation 
  • Corporate Law 
  • Health Care Law 
  • Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants 
  • Mergers and Acquisitions Law 
  • Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants 

Metropolitan Tier 2 

• Triad
  • Commercial Transactions / UCC Law 
  • Litigation – Bankruptcy 
  • Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law 

Metropolitan Tier 3 

• Triad
  • Commercial Finance Law 

Recently, Waldrep Wall Babcock & Bailey PLLC attorneys were able to assist a pro bono client referred by Legal Aid of North Carolina. The client could not continue to pay his credit card debt and personal loans after losing his job and being unable to work. 

Waldrep Wall successfully helped the client file a Chapter 7 petition, a legal document that starts the bankruptcy process, without the client having to pay any of the fees normally associated with a bankruptcy petition. Waldrep Wall assisted the client in filing an application to have the $338 filing fee waived and worked with Butterfly Financial Education, Inc., to waive the fees for the required credit counseling courses. 

The client received a Chapter 7 discharge that eliminated approximately $85,000 of unsecured debt. As a result, this client is no longer facing collection efforts and can have some peace of mind. The client was very grateful with the outcome, saying, “I am overwhelmed with the work you [Waldrep Wall attorneys] did for me, guiding me through everything, and I really appreciate it.”

Waldrep Wall also proudly partners with Legal Aid to provide quality legal services to the underserved members of our community. Allison Constance, the Director of Pro Bono Programs at Legal Aid, indicates that there is a great need for collaboration with the bankruptcy bar. “At Legal Aid of North Carolina, our staff works tirelessly to meet the civil legal needs of people across the state, but we cannot even come close to meeting that need without the help of pro bono volunteers. Attorneys in private practice are an essential piece of providing access to justice, especially in bankruptcy law.”

In addition to working with Legal Aid, there are many ways to assist those who may not be able to afford legal representation. The Bankruptcy Section of the North Carolina Bar Association, in collaboration with the North Carolina Bar Foundation and various legal services providers, has also created a Pro Bono and Low Bono Referral Network. This network aims to connect private bankruptcy practitioners with potential consumer debtors who are people eligible for Legal Aid services and may not be able to afford an attorney. To sign up and start helping those in need, please complete this survey.

In addition, the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts in the Middle and Eastern districts have a pro bono program that assists debtors without an attorney in certain circumstances. Here is information on each program:

Middle District of North Carolina:

https://www.ncmb.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/public-files/Pro%20Bono%20Applicants%20Memo%20and%20Form.pdf

Eastern District of North Carolina:

https://www.nceb.uscourts.gov/sites/nceb/files/Pro%20Bono%20Program%20Survey.pdf

Waldrep Wall Partner Jennifer Lyday recently attended the 2024 ABI Health Care Program in Nashville, Tenn. The one-of-a-kind conference focused on key insolvency issues affecting the healthcare industry.

Waldrep Wall has a sophisticated healthcare insolvency practice, representing debtors, creditors, trustees, asset acquirers, and sellers of healthcare assets both in and out of bankruptcy. When bankruptcy law intersects with healthcare law, effective solutions are crafted through experience and knowledge in this specific area.

Learn more about our healthcare insolvency practice here. 

Waldrep Wall Babcock & Bailey PLLC Partner Jim Lanik presented during the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees (NABT) Annual Conference at the Grand Hyatt in Nashville, Tenn., on August 21, 2024.

The presentation, “Express Talks II – Conversion,” provided a high-level overview of conversions. The presentation included both voluntary and involuntary conversions and an exploration of the criteria guiding such decisions. Jim discussed the procedural aspects of conversions, outlining the evidentiary requirements, court procedures, and timelines involved. He also covered the strategic implications of conversions, highlighting how adept maneuvering can leverage conversions to maximize benefits or mitigate risks for all parties involved.

Waldrep Wall Babcock & Bailey PLLC Partner Kevin Sink has been recently appointed to the Local Rules Committee for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

The Committee is charged with annually reviewing the Local Bankruptcy Rules and making recommendations to the Bankruptcy Judges for any additions or amendments. Kevin’s appointment takes effect on October 1, 2024, and he will serve on the Committee as a Class 3 member through September 2027.