Career
Chuck is the head of the firm’s Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights Group. His legal practice straddles litigation and transactional work, and includes creditors’ rights, bankruptcy, commercial real estate, and debt finance. He takes great pride in his client-first approach to legal representation. A founding partner at Ellis & Winters, Chuck strives to practice law at the highest level without exposing the client to structural roadblocks. Chuck is committed to responsive, detail-oriented service and works closely with clients throughout the legal process.
Chuck concentrates his bankruptcy practice in the representation of creditors. He regularly represents secured lenders in loan workouts, restructure transactions, forbearance agreements, recovery of real estate collateral by foreclosure and state court litigation. Chuck has represented creditors in significant bankruptcy cases, including a secured creditor holding over $120 million of real estate secured claims in a complex chapter 11 proceeding involving nine affiliated borrowers, a secured lender holding over $32 million in real estate acquisition and development loans, and a mezzanine lender in a contentious single asset real estate case. Chuck has defended lender liability claims in state and federal courts.
Chuck regularly represents lenders and borrowers in a wide range of commercial lending transactions, including leveraged and investment-grade syndications. His real estate practice primarily focuses on the representation of banks, insurance companies, other financial institutions and developers in loan transactions secured by real estate. In addition, his commercial real estate practice includes significant disposition, acquisition and development work. He has experience with a variety of real estate products, including hotels, office projects, retail centers and affordable housing developments. Financial institutions frequently engage Chuck in connection with the disposition of their real estate-owned assets.
With over 35 years of experience in complex financing transactions and complicated creditors’ rights cases, Chuck has developed a holistic perspective. His unique insight into issues that might not otherwise be clear provides value to his clients. He often finds that he can anticipate issues before they arise, enabling him to deliver more effective strategies and cost-efficient representation. In handling cases, Chuck has found that a creative, open-minded approach works best. In high-stakes transactions and litigation, it is important to develop solutions that solve problems for all stakeholders.
Chuck knew that he wanted to go to law school before he received his undergraduate degree from North Carolina State University. His undergraduate experiences led him to a position with the North Carolina Department of Correction and ultimately to a law degree, which he earned from the University of North Carolina. In law school, Chuck was inducted into the Order of the Coif and was a member of the North Carolina Law Review.
Chuck served as General Counsel for the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce from 2007 to 2008. The Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce is the Triangle’s largest not-for-profit business membership organization comprised of over 2,800 member firms representing 70 percent of the private sector employment in Wake County. Chuck is an active member of the Board of Advisors for the Taylor Family YMCA.
Professional Memberships
Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors
Artspace, Board of Directors
Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, Board of Advisors
Taylor Family YMCA, Advisory Board
