C Edward Dobbs

Practice Areas

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Financial Services

Restructuring & Bankruptcy

Business Capitalizations

Commercial Disputes

Commercial Finance

Corporate & Business Transactions

Financial Services Litigation

Related Services - Mediation & Arbitration Neutral Services

Career

Ed Dobbs is the founder and architect of the Parker Hudson commercial finance, debt restructuring, and ADR neutral services practice areas. As a result of his focus in these practice areas over his more than 50 years of practice, Ed has acquired considerable knowledge about commercial matters generally and developed extensive transactional and litigation experience.

As a commercial lending attorney, Ed represents some of the largest financial institutions in the country in structuring and documenting commercial loans, including asset-based lending, factoring and receivable purchase arrangements. As a debt restructuring attorney, Ed has participated in some of the largest bankruptcy cases in the country, both as counsel for bank groups, individual lenders, Chapter 11 debtors, and creditor committees. As part of his Chapter 11 practice, Ed is often called upon by clients to defend them in litigation involving alleged fraudulent conveyances, voidable preferences, and lender liability claims.

In addition, Ed is an accomplished mediator and, in that role, has assisted parties in resolving sizable commercial disputes with significant complexity. His leadership skills, client focus, and encyclopedic knowledge of his areas of practice drive strong confidence in his clients and aids in his coaxing parties to the settlement table in mediations. Ed serves on the American Arbitration Association (AAA) panel of neutrals for complex commercial cases in both arbitrations and mediations. Having developed a national reputation in his commercial lending and debt restructuring practices, Ed is frequently called upon to mediate complex disputes, sometimes involving billions of dollars, in civil suits in state or federal courts or in adversary proceedings in bankruptcy cases throughout the country. Ed is also trained in and prepared to conduct online mediations on the Zoom platform, which allows for videoconferencing in joint session as well as caucus rooms.

Ed is committed to assisting both clients and third-party disputants in resolving their differences and reaching their commercial goals as expeditiously and economically as possible. His experience, gravitas, and persuasive bargaining and communication skills help clients and mediation participants resolve what often appear to be intractable disputes. As a result of his past litigation experience and work as an arbitrator and mediator, Ed is able to assist clients in understanding the litigation risks and potential benefits of settlement, while at the same time prepared to put in play his considerable litigation experience for matters that a client is unwilling to settle.

Professional Memberships

Patron Fellow, The American Bar Foundation

Fellow, American College of Civil Trial Mediators (since 2019)

Fellow, American College of Bankruptcy (since 1993)

Fellow, American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers (since 1991; President, 1996-1998)

Fellow, Lawyers Foundation of Georgia (1983-present)

Fellow, American Bar Foundation (2011-present)

Member, The Georgia Academy of Mediators and Arbitrators, a chapter of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals (since 2016)

Member, Georgia Arbitration Forum (President 2020)

Adjunct Professor of Law, Emory University School of Law (1987-1992)

Master of the Bench, W. Homer Drake, Jr. Georgia Bankruptcy American Inn of Court (2014-present)

American Judicature Society (Member, Board of Directors, 1981-1982)

Advisory Board of Directors, CFA Education Foundation, Inc. (and annual fundraising chair, 2016)

Faculty, Association of Certified Turnaround Professionals

Atlanta Bar Association (Member, Corporate Banking and Bankruptcy Sections)

Atlanta Chapter of Turnaround Management Association (Board member, 2002-2010; President 2007-2009)

State Bar of Georgia (Section of Bankruptcy Law, Chairman 1978-1979; Section of Dispute Resolution)

American Bar Association (ABA Young Lawyers Division, Chairman 1981-1982; Member, House of Delegates, 1982-1984; Creditors' Rights Subcommittee, Chair, 1994-1995; Syndications and Participations Subcommittee, Chair, 1996-1997, Member of Section of Business Law and Member, Section of Dispute Resolution)

Board of Directors, Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute, Inc. (1979- ; President, 1991-1992, 2005-2006; Chairman, 1992-1993, 2006-2007)

Member, American Arbitration Association, National Roster of Neutrals (arbitrations and mediations)

Association of Commercial Finance Attorneys

Davidson College (Board of Trustees 2009-2011; Board of Visitors 2005-present, and Board Chair 2009-2010)

Trees Atlanta, Inc. (Board of Directors 2002-2020; President 2009-2010)

The Georgia Conservancy (Board of Trustees 2012-2019; Board Chair 2016-2018)

Trinity School (Board of Trustees 1992-1996)

Emory Medical School (Department of Urology Advisory Board 2009-2013)

Vanderbilt University School of Law (Alumni Council 1997-1999)

Experience

Represented Oglethorpe Power Corporation in a multi-billion dollar dispute in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Westinghouse Corporation and its affiliates pending in New York, and claims against the parent company, Toshiba Corporation, which resulted in full recovery of approximately $1.3 billion of liquidated damages while preserving the company's interest in intellectual property critical to the continued construction of nuclear plants.

Represented court-appointed monitor in a civil action brought the Securities and Exchange Commission pending in Federal Court in New Jersey against defendants accused of violating the federal securities laws in connection with various municipal bond and private placement offerings in connection with their acquisition and management of various types of senior care facilities.

Represented Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent and lender, under a $1.2 billion debtor-in-possession financing facility to American Tire Distributors, Inc, and their domestic and foreign affiliates in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy case in Delaware.

Represented the Colonial BancGroup, Inc, a publicly traded bank holding company, as Chapter 11 debtor in Montgomery, Alabama, in a hotly contested proceeding involving a myriad of claims asserted by and against the FDIC as receiver for Colonial Bank, leading to a successful confirmation and post-confirmation pursuit of asset recoveries.

Represented Bank of America, N.A., as agent, lender, and letter of credit issuing bank under an revolving credit facility provided to Noranda Aluminum, Inc. and affiliates, which comprise a vertically integrated producer, manufacturer, and distributor of alumina, aluminum, and rolled aluminum products. The companies filed chapter 11 bankruptcy cases in St. Louis, Missouri in February 2016, and the firm assisted Bank of America in negotiating, documenting and obtaining court approval of a $130 million debtor-in-possession financing facility to support the debtors' operations in chapter 11.

Represented Bank of America, N.A., as agent, in connection with a senior secured, asset-based, cross-border revolving credit and term loan facility provided to Modular Space Holdings, Inc. and affiliates, which engaged in the sale and leasing of temporary buildings and structures.

Publications

Numerous presentations at seminars on lending, bankruptcy and mediation topics sponsored by bar and banking associations and other CLE providers, including the American Bar Association, Atlanta Bar Association, the State Bar of Georgia, Mississippi Bar, Texas Bar, Tennessee Bar, Oklahoma Bar, Florida Bar, West Virginia Bar, the Practicing Law Institute, the American Bankruptcy Institute, the Commercial Finance Association, the Turnaround Management Association and Commercial Law League of America.

Presenter, "Enforceability of Intercreditor Agreements in Bankruptcy: Maximizing Recovery for First and Second Lienholders," Strafford Webinar (August 2020)

Presenter, "Mediation Demonstrations: Bridging the Gap," ABI/St. John's Law School Forty-Hour Bankruptcy Mediation Training (December 2019)

Presenter, "The Psychology of Negotiation," Meritas U.S. Fall Meeting (November 2019)

Moderator, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Multi-lateral Negotiations," Turnaround Management Association Annual Conference (September 2019)

Panleist, "Mediation Strategies in Chapter 11," ABI Southeast Bankruptcy Conference (July 2019)

Co-presenter, "Some Cognitive Biases and Influences in Negotiations," Atlanta Bar Bankruptcy Law Section (May 2019)

Presenter, Arbitration Institute on Ethical Rules and Guidance for Arbitrators (March 2019)

Presenter, "Avoiding and Dealing with Impasse," St. Johns Law School Mediation Training Program (December 2018)

Presenter, "Heuristics: Potential Pitfalls For The Unwary Arbitrator," State Bar of Georgia ADR Institute (2016)

Presenter, “Psychological Influences in Negotiation,” State Bar of Georgia Annual Corporate & Business Law Institute (2015)

Presenter, “Negotiating the Settlement of a Lawsuit,” State Bar of Georgia Annual Corporate & Business Law Institute (2014)

Presenter, “Mediation in Bankruptcy,” Bankruptcy Law Section of the State Bar of Mississippi in Jackson, Mississippi (December 2013)

Panelist, Troubled Businesses and Bankruptcy Symposium sponsored by the Georgia Society of CPAs (October 2013)

Faculty leader, American Bankruptcy Institute and St. John's University School of Law Bankruptcy Mediation Training Program (2011-2019)

Panelist, "Irrational Decision Making in Mediation," ABI 2013 Spring Meeting (April 2013)

Panelist, "Emerging and Complex Issues in Chapter 11: Part One," National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges in Tampa, Florida (October 2011)

Presenter and Author, "Mediation in Bankruptcy Cases -- A Mediator's Perspective," ABI 2011 Spring Meeting (April 2011)

Presenter and Co-Author, "Commercial Law -- Year in Review," Atlanta Bar Association (December 1989 - present)

Presenter, "Workouts and Forbearance Agreements - Due Diligence and Documentation," Turnaround Management Association (Atlanta Chapter) series of Interdisciplinary Programs (June 2009)

Panelist, “In-Transit Inventory Financing,” teleconference by Strafford Publications (2012, 2015)

Panelist, "Negotiating Intercreditor Agreements as Bankruptcy Filings Soar," teleconference by Strafford Publications (2008, 2009, 2011 - 2013, 2015, 2016)

Panelist, "The Bankruptcy Boom is Here: Are You Prepared for the Exponential Growth of Bankruptcy Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution," ABI Annual Meeting (April 2009)

Panelist and Co-Author, "In Transit Inventory: Loan Documentation and Practical Considerations," ABA Spring Business Law Section Meeting (April 2009)

Moderator and Panelist, Business Bankruptcy Panel on the "Brave New World of Finance," 23 Emory Bankruptcy Developments Journal, 549 (2007)

Education

Awards