Judy D. Thompson

One Wachovia Center

301 S. College St., Suite 2300

Charlotte, NC  28202

Direct: 704.342.5299

Fax: 704.342.5264

jdthompson@poynerspruill.com

Download vCard

Areas of Practice

Bankruptcy Law, Creditors’ Rights, Workouts, Commercial Litigation, Mediation and Arbitration

Education

J.D., University of Houston (with honors), 1985

M.S., Florida State University, 1972

B.A., University of Florida, 1969

Profile 

Judy primarily represents lenders, unsecured creditors, lessors and creditors’ committees in business bankruptcy cases and workouts.  Representation includes commercial and bankruptcy litigation and Chapter 11 debtor representation.  She also advises national consumer lenders on bankruptcy and debt collection practices and policy, and serves as an arbitrator and mediator in commercial litigation and bankruptcy adversary proceedings.

Representative Experience:   

Secured creditors in Chapter 11 cases in contested matters involving: 

  • protection of cash collateral

  • debtor-in-possession financing

  • challenges to secured lien position

  • Plans of Reorganization

  • objections to confirmation

  • trustee appointment

  • executory contract issues

  • asset sales

Committees of Unsecured Creditors in Chapter 11 cases of convenience stores, textile, furniture, toy, retail, golf resort, trading card, steel fabricating, manufacturing, franchised food and other industries

Debtors in Chapter 11 cases in various manufacturing, retail, service and distribution sectors

Purchaser of assets from debtors prior to and within bankruptcy cases

Mediation in preference adversary proceedings

Bankruptcy and commercial litigation including preference and fraudulent conveyance defense, consumer class action defense, discharge and dischargeability adversary actions, substantive consolidation litigation, lender liability and sanctions defense

Selected Professional/Community Activities

American Bankruptcy Institute, 1988 - present

  • Current Co-Chair of ADR, Mediation and Arbitration Committee

  • Vice President, 2001 - 2003

  • Executive Committee, 1998 - 2003

  • Board of Directors, 1996 - 2003

  • Chair of American Bankruptcy Institute Annual Southeast Regional Workshop, 1996 - 2000 

  • Contributing editor, American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, 1996 - present

  • Chair of various conferences and committees

  • Co-Chair, Pension and Benefits Committee, 2005 - present

Board of Directors, US Law Network, 2005 - 2008

Councilor, North Carolina State Bar, 2003 - 2005

Executive Board and Past Chair, North Carolina Conference of Bar Presidents, 1998 - present

Lecturer on Advanced Commercial Workouts, Executive Enterprises, 1996 - 2005

Immediate Past Chair, International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation - Carolinas

National Bankruptcy Chair of the State Capital Global Law Firm Group, 1995 - 2005

President, Mecklenburg County Bar, 1997 - 1998

Board of Directors and Secretary, Childrens’ Law Center, 2000 - 2004

Notable Accomplishments  

Ranked among Law & Politics magazine’s North Carolina “Super Lawyers” 2006 – 2008 and “Top 50 Female Lawyers” (Bankruptcy) 2006 – 2007  

Recognized in Business North Carolina Magazine’s “Legal Elite” in Bankruptcy, 2002 – 2007

American Bankruptcy Institute Award for Outstanding Contribution, 1998

Selected one of The Charlotte Business Journal’s Outstanding Women in Business, 1997

Publications & Lectures  

Author of:

  • Handbook for Unsecured Creditors Committees

  • ABI Collection Handbook - Everything the Collection Professional Needs to Know About Bankruptcy

  • Multiple articles on bankruptcy topics

Contributing Editor on:

  • ABI Preference Handbook

  • ABI Reclamation Handbook

  • ABI Manual on Assignments for Benefits of Creditors

Frequent lecturer at local, state and national seminars on bankruptcy, workouts and commercial litigation topics

Pre-Law Experience   

Thirteen years in the long-term residential health care industry with experience in planning, management, programs, financial sector and regulatory compliance in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and residential treatment facilities for mentally ill and mentally retarded. 

Jurisdictions Licensed

Texas 1985, North Carolina 1988