John R. Wester

Elizabeth G. Grimes is Managing Partner at Grimes Yeoman, PLLC. Known locally as “Libby”, Ms. Grimes represents plaintiffs in cases involving serious bodily injuries, wrongful death, and traumatic brain injuries. Ms. Grimes received her B.A. in Economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in December of 1985, graduating a semester early, and received her law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1989. Ms. Grimes is admitted to practice before the No...

Ben Fryer has devoted his entire career to supporting his clients' needs in labor and employment law. Ben's background includes significant experience assisting clients in the protection of trade secrets and the enforcement of non-compete agreements and other restrictive covenants. He has also advised clients in all other aspects of employment law including claims involving state and federal wage and hour regulations, and discrimination and retaliation under Title VII, the ADEA, the ADA, and ...

Kimberly Zirkle focuses her practice on corporate finance and acquisition transactions. She regularly represents a variety of lenders, private equity portfolio companies, and private companies in corporate finance and acquisition transactions. Kimberly’s experience involves a wide variety of debt structures including: unitranche, ABL, first lien, split lien, second lien, and mezzanine (secured or unsecured). Kimberly primarily represents SBICs, BDCs, lenders and institutional investors ...

Patrick Hayden is a partner in the Global Finance & Debt Products Group. His practice focuses on mortgage-backed and asset-backed securitization, and he has represented global financial institutions as indenture trustee in negotiating and closing hundreds of CDO transactions, including CLOs, commercial real estate CDOs and synthetic CDOs. He currently represents indenture trustees in connection with the administration of CDO transactions and has extensive experience with questions and dis...

C. Todd Burbank is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. C. Todd, who practices law in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which C. Todd is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Tony Lathrop is a seasoned corporate trial lawyer experienced in complex commercial litigation, transportation, land use, zoning/development, planning, and condemnation law. As a recognized leader within legal, transportation, and planning communities in North Carolina and nationwide, Tony brings valuable industry and governmental perspectives to client matters, which he approaches with an eye towards maximizing value and reducing future risk. Tony utilizes his experience as a trial attorney ...

Chris Fowler practices in a broad range of finance-related areas, focusing on the representation of institutional investors, hedge funds, business development companies (BDCs), small business investment companies (SBICs), private equity groups and sponsors in their investment, buy-out and finance transactions. Chris’ primary focus is in debt and equity finance transactions as counsel to agents, lenders and passive and controlling stakeholders. Chris represents a variety of finance compa...

Mary Katherine Stukes is head of the firm’s Environmental practice. She advises clients on environmental issues involved in all types of business transactions, as well as regulatory compliance issues and environmental litigation. Ranked in Chambers Partners USA since 2017, clients describe her as a “zealous but practical advocate.” Mary Katherine helps manufacturers, real estate developers, lenders, local governments, and other clients find creative solutions in real estate,...

Mark Kelly is a member of the Corporate Transactions & Securities Group in the firm’s Charlotte office. He concentrates his practice in the areas of public offerings, private financings, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate matters. Mr. Kelly leads the firm’s private equity practice and has worked with private equity firms and their portfolio companies since the late 1980s in equity and debt financings, leveraged buyouts and exit transactions, including mergers with ...

Bernard Clark is experienced in all types of sophisticated tax planning and controversy work, representing large corporations and tax-exempt organizations mostly at the federal level. He has participated in obtaining numerous rulings from the Internal Revenue Service involving tax accounting and acquisition issues. Clients trust him to offer practical and creative solutions for a broad array of tax planning and controversy matters. Corporate mergers and recapitalizations Planning involving is...