Partner
Jim Lanik
Specialities
Business Insolvency, Commercial Bankruptcy, and Chapter 7 Trustee
Bio
Jim is a partner at Waldrep Wall Babcock & Bailey PLLC. Prior to joining the firm, he was a partner at Waldrep LLP and 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 has served as a receiver in state court matters and as a Chapter 11 trustee in addition to his Chapter 7 trustee practice.
Jim is also the Town Attorney for Midway, North Carolina, a town in northern Davidson County that was incorporated in 2006.
Jim is active as a volunteer with the Wyndham Championship, the Piedmont Triad’s PGA Tour event. He is also a supporter of Autism Unbound and the ARC of High Point.
- J.D. 1995 University of Denver College of Law | University of Denver Law Review
- B.A. 1992 Lawrence University of Wisconsin
- Colorado, 1995
- North Carolina, 2002
- Virginia, 2015
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- United States District Court – Colorado
- United States District Court – Middle District of North Carolina
- United States District Court – Eastern District of North Carolina
- United States District Court – Western District of North Carolina
- United States District Court – Central District of Illinois
- United States Bankruptcy Court – Western District of Virginia
- United States Tax Court
- North Carolina Bar Association, Bankruptcy Section Council, 2007-2010; Chair, 2025-2026
- American Board of Certification (ABC), Member of Board of Directors, Member of Standards Committee, 2024
- North Carolina Association of Municipal Attorneys
- American Bankruptcy Institute
- National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees
- Bankruptcy Specialization Recertification Committee for the North Carolina Bar, Member, 2019-2024
- General Chairman, Wyndham Championship, 2007
- President, Wyndham Championship Founders Club, 2016-2017
- “Navigating The Barton Doctrine: A Trustee’s Guide to Protection and Exposure: Understanding the Ultra Vires and Business Operation Exceptions,” American Bankruptcy Trustee Journal, Volume 41 (2025), Issue 3
- “Bankruptcy as a Path Forward for Distressed Rural Hospitals,” The Governance Institute’s Rural Focus Newsletter, November 2024
- “Key Advantages of Chapter 12 Bankruptcy for Struggling Family Farmers,” Journal of Corporate Renewal (JCR), Turnaround Management Association (TMA), December 2022
- “Forensic Accounting in Bankruptcy Court,” Fraud Fighter Podcast, September 21, 2020.
- “Claims, North Carolina Bankruptcy Practice Manual Chapter X” (Eighth Edition, 2017) (co-author)
- “Plan Confirmation Battles in Chapter 11: Evidence, Valuation and Feasibility,” 48th Annual Bankruptcy Institute, Greensboro, NC, November 22, 2026
- “Business Bankruptcy 101,” Basics of Bankruptcy Live Webcast, North Carolina Bar Association February Finale CLE, February 26, 2025
- “How to Use AI to Benefit Your Practice,” North Carolina Bar Association 47th Annual Bankruptcy Institute, Wrightsville Beach, NC, November 16, 2024
- Express Talks II –Conversion,” National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees (NABT) Annual Conference, Nashville, TN, August 21, 2024
- “Bankruptcy Update and Review,” Plaintiffs Asbestos Litigation Seminar (PALS), Las Vegas, NV, May 15, 2024
- “Ethics – Technology Credit AI and Your Bankruptcy Practice,” 44th Annual Middle District Bankruptcy Seminar, Aberdeen, NC, April 12, 2024
- “Bankruptcy Fraud,” Fraud and Forensic Conference, Virtual Webinar hosted by the Ohio Society of CPAs, August 29, 2023
- “Chapter 5 Actions and Bankruptcy Litigation,” 45th Annual Bankruptcy Institute, Greensboro, NC, November 11, 2022
- “Trustee Security and Data Safety,” Webinar hosted and co-presented by Justin Doles, Chief Information Security Officer for Stretto, August 30, 2022
- “Bankruptcy and Small Business: A Practical Course for Newcomers,” Wake Forest Law and Thomson Reuters, on-demand web series, August, 2020
- “Hospitality Industry: Challenges and Opportunities,” 2019 Turnaround Management Association Southeastern Regional Conference, Asheville, NC, May 30, 2019
- “Stopping the Tailspin: Use of Oligopolistic and Oligopsonistic Power to Produce Profits in the Airline Industry,” 22 Trans. L. J. 509, 1995
- “Post-Petition Assets: Whose Are They?” 41st Annual Bankruptcy Institute, Pinehurst, NC, November 2-3, 2018
- “Tax Collection and Bankruptcy,” 2018 NC Association of County Attorneys Summer Conference, Asheville, NC, July 26-28, 2018
- “The Crossroad of Ethical Duty and Exemption Planning,” 36th Annual Middle District Bankruptcy Seminar, Aberdeen, NC, April 24-25, 2015
- “Common Mistakes in Chapter 7 Filings,” 35th Annual Middle District Bankruptcy Seminar, Aberdeen, NC, April 25-26, 2014
- “Preferences,” 2014 National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees Spring Seminar, Coral Gables, FL, April 4-5, 2014
- Serves on the panel of Chapter 7 Trustees for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, administering bankruptcy estates and overseeing asset recovery, claims resolution, adversary proceedings, and estate liquidation matters.
- Has served as a Chapter 11 trustee and court-appointed receiver in complex insolvency proceedings, managing distressed assets, resolving contested claims, and overseeing court-supervised business operations and wind-downs.
- Serves as Town Attorney for Midway, North Carolina, advising municipal leadership on
governance, contracts, ordinances, public meetings, land use matters, and other local
government issues.
Chambers USA (Bankruptcy/Restructuring, Band 3), 2024-present
Best Lawyers in America®, 2024 – present
Lawyer of the Year, Bankruptcy Litigation, Triad North Carolina, 2026
North Carolina Super Lawyers® – Business Bankruptcy, 2024
Awards & Recognition:
- Chambers USA (Bankruptcy/Restructuring, Band 3), 2024-present
- Best Lawyers in America®, 2024 – present
- Lawyer of the Year, Bankruptcy Litigation, Triad North Carolina, 2026
- North Carolina Super Lawyers® – Business Bankruptcy, 2024
