Archive for the ‘Honors and Awards’ Category
The Best Lawyers in America® recognized two Rayburn Cooper & Durham attorneys in its 2024 edition.
Rick Rayburn is listed by Best Lawyers® in the areas of:
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Bet-the-Company Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Corporate Law
Rayburn has served as the managing shareholder of Rayburn Cooper & Durham for over 30 years. He represents business enterprises and individuals in a wide variety of financial transactions and commercial disputes including corporate and commercial litigation, financial restructurings, business reorganizations, workouts, executive employment contracts and disputes, shareholder disputes, business formations, venture capital infusions, private and public securities offerings, mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, divestitures, refinancings, and recapitalizations.
Jack Miller is listed by Best Lawyers® in the area of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law.
Miller represents debtors in business workouts and financial reorganizations and trustees, debtors, creditors, and creditors’ committees in business bankruptcies under Chapter 7 or 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. He also works with restructuring financing and/or operations outside a formal court proceeding for financially distressed business entities.
Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. Over 83,000 leading attorneys globally are eligible to vote, and Best Lawyers has received more than 13 million votes to date on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world. For the 2017 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©, 7.3 million votes were analyzed, which resulted in almost 55,000 leading lawyers being included in the new edition. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”
About Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. (RCD)
For more than 35 years, Rayburn Cooper & Durham has served both businesses and individuals with bankruptcy and financial restructuring, business litigation and general corporate matters. The attorneys within the firm have extensive experience and provide creative solutions to help clients establish their enterprises, grow and prosper and also protect their rights, assets, and interests. Recognizing the unique needs of their clients, RCD does not represent large banks or financial institutions. RCD – The way forward. www.rcdlaw.net
Posted 08/22/23
Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. is pleased to announce that the following attorneys in the firm have been selected for inclusion in 2023 North Carolina Super Lawyers®:
2023 North Carolina Super Lawyers
Al Durham – Bankruptcy Business
Ross Fulton – Business Litigation
Kirk Hardymon – Business Litigation
Jack Miller – Bankruptcy
Rick Rayburn – Bankruptcy; Business/Corporate
Matthew Tomsic – Bankruptcy Rising Star
2023 North Carolina Top 100
Jack Miller
Rick Rayburn
2023 Top 25 Charlotte
Jack Miller
Rick Rayburn
Super Lawyers is an annual listing of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.
The selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers undertakes a rigorous multi-phased process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent research evaluation of candidates, and peer reviews by practice area. Only 5% of North Carolina attorneys have been selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers.
Learn more about the selection process.
Posted 01/26/23
The Mecklenburg County Bar has selected Rayburn Cooper & Durham associate Natalie Kutcher for the 2023 Bar Leadership Institute (BLI). In its 21st year, BLI identifies and develops leaders for the Mecklenburg County Bar and Foundation by providing participants opportunities to develop their personal leadership potential and skills; become aware of leadership opportunities with the Bar and the greater Charlotte community; consider pressing Bar and community issues with peers and presenters of the highest caliber; and develop a spirit of lasting collegiality with their fellow participants.
Selection for BLI is competitive. The Bar chooses leaders based on their commitment and motivation to serve in leadership positions, their history of public service and involvement in charitable organizations, and their willingness to engage in meaningful work with the Bar or the Foundation, among other criteria.
In the program, Natalie and others will participate in 15 hours of continuing legal education, receive individual coaching by a leadership consultant, and attend the Bar’s annual Bar Leadership Dinner and a two-day retreat at the Whitewater Center. Topics covered in the CLEs include: leading through listening, storytelling, and relationships; the history and future of practicing law in Mecklenburg County; the role of race and poverty on Mecklenburg’s past and future; and diversity and inclusion in the county’s legal community and justice system.
Natalie graduated with honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 2019. Prior to law school, she taught high school World History with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system. Natalie focuses her practice at RCD on business litigation and commercial transactions. She also regularly contributes to the firm’s Business Court Blast publication and serves on the Mecklenburg County Bar Communications Committee.
Posted 01/10/23
Six attorneys from Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. have been recognized by their peers as 2023 “Legal Elite” in Business North Carolina Magazine’s annual list.
Each year, Business North Carolina sends ballot notices to every member of the N.C. State Bar living in North Carolina — asking each a simple question: Of the Tar Heel lawyers whose work you have observed firsthand, whom would you rate among the current best in these categories? Voters are not allowed to vote for themselves. They may select members of their firms only if they pick out-of-firm lawyers in the same categories, with the latter votes weighted more heavily. Attorneys who receive the most votes in their respective categories become permanent members of the “Legal Elite Hall of Fame.”
The RCD attorneys named to Business North Carolina’s 2023 “Legal Elite” are
Scott Cooper – Corporate
Al Durham – Bankruptcy
Ross Fulton – Litigation
Jack Miller – Bankruptcy
Matt Tomsic – Bankruptcy
Ross Fulton and Matt Tomsic were both ranked first in their respective fields and have joined the “Legal Elite Hall of Fame.”
In addition, Rick Rayburn was previously named to the “Legal Elite Hall of Fame” for Bankruptcy.
About Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. (RCD)
For more than 35 years, Rayburn Cooper & Durham has served both businesses and individuals with bankruptcy and financial restructuring, business litigation and general corporate matters. The attorneys within the firm have extensive experience and provide creative solutions to help clients establish their enterprises, grow and prosper and also protect their rights, assets, and interests. Recognizing the unique needs of their clients, RCD does not represent large banks or financial institutions. RCD – The way forward. www.rcdlaw.net
Posted 01/04/23
The Best Lawyers in America® recognized two Rayburn Cooper & Durham attorneys in its 2023 edition.
Rick Rayburn is listed by Best Lawyers in the areas of:
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Bet-the-Company Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Corporate Law
Rayburn has served as the managing shareholder of Rayburn Cooper & Durham for over 30 years. He represents business enterprises and individuals in a wide variety of financial transactions and commercial disputes including corporate and commercial litigation, financial restructurings, business reorganizations, workouts, executive employment contracts and disputes, shareholder disputes, business formations, venture capital infusions, private and public securities offerings, mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, divestitures, refinancings, and recapitalizations.
John R. Miller, Jr. is a “Lawyer of the Year” recipient in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®! “Lawyer of the Year” is awarded to only one lawyer per region and practice area, making it Best Lawyers’ most outstanding recognition. Jack received this award in the area of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law. He represents debtors in business workouts and financial reorganizations and trustees, debtors, creditors, and creditors’ committees in business bankruptcies under Chapter 7 or 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. He also works with restructuring financing and/or operations outside a formal court proceeding for financially distressed business entities.
Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. Over 83,000 leading attorneys globally are eligible to vote, and Best Lawyers has received more than 13 million votes to date on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world. For the 2017 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©, 7.3 million votes were analyzed, which resulted in almost 55,000 leading lawyers being included in the new edition. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”
About Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. (RCD)
For more than 35 years, Rayburn Cooper & Durham has served both businesses and individuals with bankruptcy and financial restructuring, business litigation and general corporate matters. The attorneys within the firm have extensive experience and provide creative solutions to help clients establish their enterprises, grow and prosper and also protect their rights, assets, and interests. Recognizing the unique needs of their clients, RCD does not represent large banks or financial institutions. RCD – The way forward. www.rcdlaw.net
Posted 08/18/22
Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. is pleased to announce that the following attorneys in the firm have been selected for inclusion in 2022 North Carolina Super Lawyers®:
2022 North Carolina Super Lawyers
Scott Cooper – Business/Corporate
Al Durham – Bankruptcy
Ross Fulton – Business Litigation
Kirk Hardymon – Business Litigation
Jack Miller – Bankruptcy
Rick Rayburn – Business/Corporate
2022 North Carolina Top 100
Jack Miller
Rick Rayburn
2022 Top 25 Charlotte
Jack Miller
Rick Rayburn
Super Lawyers is an annual listing of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.
The selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers undertakes a rigorous multi-phased process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent research evaluation of candidates, and peer reviews by practice area. Only 5% of North Carolina attorneys have been selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers.
Learn more about the selection process.
Posted 01/18/22
Seven attorneys from Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. have been recognized by their peers as 2022 “Legal Elite” in Business North Carolina Magazine’s annual list.
Scott Cooper – Corporate
Al Durham – Bankruptcy
Ross Fulton – Litigation
Kirk Hardymon – Litigation
Jack Miller – Bankruptcy
Matt Tomsic – Young Guns
In addition, Rick Rayburn previously received the distinction of being named to the “Legal Elite Hall of Fame” for Bankruptcy.
Legal Elite Methodology
Each year, Business North Carolina sends ballot notices to every member of the N.C. State Bar living in North Carolina — asking each a simple question: Of the Tar Heel lawyers whose work you have observed firsthand, whom would you rate among the current best in these categories? Voters are not allowed to vote for themselves. They may select members of their firms only if they pick out-of-firm lawyers in the same categories, with the latter votes weighted more heavily.
About Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. (RCD)
For more than 35 years, Rayburn Cooper & Durham has served both businesses and individuals with bankruptcy and financial restructuring, business litigation and general corporate matters. The attorneys within the firm have extensive experience and provide creative solutions to help clients establish their enterprises, grow and prosper and also protect their rights, assets, and interests. Recognizing the unique needs of their clients, RCD does not represent large banks or financial institutions. RCD – The way forward. www.rcdlaw.net
Posted 01/07/22
The Best Lawyers in America® recognized two Rayburn Cooper & Durham attorneys in its 2022 edition.
Rick Rayburn is listed by Best Lawyers in the areas of:
• Corporate Law
• Bet-the-Company Litigation
• Commercial Litigation
• Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law.
Mr. Rayburn has served as the managing shareholder of Rayburn Cooper & Durham for over 30 years. He represents business enterprises and individuals in a wide variety of financial transactions and commercial disputes including corporate and commercial litigation, financial restructurings, business reorganizations, workouts, executive employment contracts and disputes, shareholder disputes, business formations, venture capital infusions, private and public securities offerings, mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, divestitures, refinancings, and recapitalizations.
John R. Miller, Jr. is listed in the area of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law. Jack represents debtors in business workouts and financial reorganizations and trustees, debtors, creditors, and creditors’ committees in business bankruptcies under Chapter 7 or 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. He also works with restructuring financing and/or operations outside a formal court proceeding for financially distressed business entities.
Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. Over 83,000 leading attorneys globally are eligible to vote, and Best Lawyers has received more than 13 million votes to date on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world. For the 2017 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©, 7.3 million votes were analyzed, which resulted in almost 55,000 leading lawyers being included in the new edition. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”
About Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. (RCD)
For more than 35 years, Rayburn Cooper & Durham has served both businesses and individuals with bankruptcy and financial restructuring, business litigation and general corporate matters. The attorneys within the firm have extensive experience and provide creative solutions to help clients establish their enterprises, grow and prosper and also protect their rights, assets, and interests. Recognizing the unique needs of their clients, RCD does not represent large banks or financial institutions. RCD – The way forward. www.rcdlaw.net
Posted 08/23/21
Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. is pleased to announce that the following attorneys in the firm have been selected for inclusion in 2021 North Carolina Super Lawyers®:
2021 North Carolina Super Lawyers
Scott Cooper – Business/Corporate, Mergers & Acquisitions, Securities & Corporate Finance
Al Durham – Bankruptcy
Ross Fulton – Business Litigation, General Litigation, Employment Litigation
Kirk Hardymon – Business Litigation
Jack Miller – Bankruptcy, Business/Corporate, Business Litigation
Rick Rayburn – Business/Corporate, Bankruptcy, Business Litigation
2021 North Carolina Top 100
Jack Miller
Rick Rayburn
2021 Top 25 Charlotte
Jack Miller
Rick Rayburn
Super Lawyers is an annual listing of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.
The selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers undertakes a rigorous multi-phased process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent research evaluation of candidates, and peer reviews by practice area. Only 5% of North Carolina attorneys have been selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers.
Learn more about the selection process.
Posted 01/13/21
U.S. News has recognized Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A., in its annual Best Law Firm Awards, ranking RCD regionally in four practice areas.
RCD ranked in Tier 1 for Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law; in Tier 1 for Corporate Law; in Tier 2 for Commercial Litigation; and in Tier 3 for Bet-the-Company Litigation.
Firms included in the 2021 Edition of U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms®” are recognized for professional excellence and receive consistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. To be considered, a law firm must have at least one lawyer recognized in The Best Lawyers in America, which recognizes the top 5 percent of practicing lawyers in the country.
In 2020, Best Lawyers in America recognized four RCD attorneys. The list included Rick Rayburn in the categories of Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, and Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization law. The list also included Al Durham and Jack Miller in the category of Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Ross Fulton in the area of Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions.
Posted 12/01/20
The Best Lawyers in America® recognized four Rayburn Cooper & Durham attorneys in its 2021 edition, in several categories listed below spanning RCD’s business litigation and business bankruptcy practice areas.
Rick Rayburn is listed by Best Lawyers® in the areas of:
• Corporate Law
• Bet-the-Company Litigation
• Commercial Litigation
• Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law.
Rayburn has served as the managing shareholder of Rayburn Cooper & Durham for over 30 years. He represents business enterprises and individuals in a wide variety of financial transactions and commercial disputes including corporate and commercial litigation, financial restructurings, business reorganizations, workouts, executive employment contracts and disputes, shareholder disputes, business formations, venture capital infusions, private and public securities offerings, mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, divestitures, refinancings, and recapitalizations.
Al Durham is listed in the area of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law. Durham has moved to an “Of Counsel” role with the firm. He represents debtors in business workouts and financial reorganizations and trustees, debtors, creditors, and creditors’ committees in business bankruptcies under Chapter 7 or 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. He also works with restructuring financing and/or operations outside a formal court proceeding for financially distressed business entities.
John R. Miller, Jr. is listed in the area of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law. He represents debtors in business workouts and financial reorganizations and trustees, debtors, creditors, and creditors’ committees in business bankruptcies under Chapter 7 or 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. He also works with restructuring financing and/or operations outside a formal court proceeding for financially distressed business entities.
Ross R. Fulton is listed in the area of Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions. He represents businesses, executives, and business owners in all manners of business litigation, planning, and transactions. He practices regularly in North Carolina’s state and federal trial courts, including its Business Court, and has successfully argued before state and federal courts of appeal.
Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. Over 83,000 leading attorneys globally are eligible to vote, and Best Lawyers has received more than 13 million votes to date on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world. For the 2017 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©, 7.3 million votes were analyzed, which resulted in almost 55,000 leading lawyers being included in the new edition. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”
About Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. (RCD)
For more than 35 years, Rayburn Cooper & Durham has served both businesses and individuals with bankruptcy and financial restructuring, business litigation and general corporate matters. The attorneys within the firm have extensive experience and provide creative solutions to help clients establish their enterprises, grow and prosper and also protect their rights, assets, and interests. Recognizing the unique needs of their clients, RCD does not represent large banks or financial institutions. RCD – The way forward. www.rcdlaw.net
Posted 08/20/20
Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. is pleased to announce that the following attorneys in the firm have been selected for inclusion in 2020 North Carolina Super Lawyers®:
2020 North Carolina Super Lawyers
Scott Cooper– Business & Corporate
Al Durham – Bankruptcy
Ross Fulton – Business Litigation
James Gatehouse – Business Litigation
Kirk Hardymon – Business Litigation
Jack Miller – Bankruptcy
Rick Rayburn – Business & Corporate
2020 North Carolina Top 100
Jack Miller
Rick Rayburn
2020 Top 25 Charlotte
Jack Miller
Rick Rayburn
Super Lawyers is an annual listing of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.
The selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers undertakes a rigorous multi-phased process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent research evaluation of candidates, and peer reviews by practice area. Only 5% of North Carolina attorneys have been selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers.
Learn more about the selection process.
Posted 02/13/20
Four attorneys from Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. have been recognized by their peers as 2020 “Legal Elite” in Business North Carolina Magazine’s annual list.
Ross Fulton – Litigation
James B. Gatehouse– Litigation
Jack Miller – Bankruptcy
In addition, Rick Rayburn previously received the distinction of being named to the “Legal Elite Hall of Fame” for Bankruptcy Law.
Legal Elite Methodology
Each year, Business North Carolina sends ballot notices to every member of the N.C. State Bar living in North Carolina — asking each a simple question: Of the Tar Heel lawyers whose work you have observed firsthand, whom would you rate among the current best in these categories? Voters are not allowed to vote for themselves. They may select members of their firms only if they pick out-of-firm lawyers in the same categories, with the latter votes weighted more heavily.
About Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. (RCD)
For more than 35 years, Rayburn Cooper & Durham has served both businesses and individuals with bankruptcy and financial restructuring, business litigation and general corporate matters. The attorneys within the firm have extensive experience and provide creative solutions to help clients establish their enterprises, grow and prosper and also protect their rights, assets, and interests. Recognizing the unique needs of their clients, RCD does not represent large banks or financial institutions. RCD – The way forward. www.rcdlaw.net
Posted 01/09/20
U.S. News has recognized Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A., in its annual Best Law Firm Awards, ranking RCD regionally in four practice areas.
RCD ranked in Tier 1 for Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law; in Tier 1 for Corporate Law; in Tier 2 for Commercial Litigation; and in Tier 3 for Bet-the-Company Litigation.
Firms included in the 2020 Edition of U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms®” are recognized for professional excellence and receive consistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. To be considered, a law firm must have at least one lawyer recognized in The Best Lawyers in America, which recognizes the top 5 percent of practicing lawyers in the country.
In 2019, Best Lawyers in America recognized two RCD attorneys. The list included Rick Rayburn in the categories of Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, and Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization law. The list also included Jack Miller in the category of Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law.
Posted 11/21/19
Four attorneys from Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. have been recognized by their peers as 2019 “Legal Elite” in Business North Carolina Magazine’s annual list.
Ross Fulton – Litigation
James Gatehouse – Business
Jack Miller – Bankruptcy
In addition, Rick Rayburn previously received the distinction of being named to the “Legal Elite Hall of Fame” for Bankruptcy Law.
Legal Elite Methodology
Each year, Business North Carolina sends ballot notices to every member of the N.C. State Bar living in North Carolina — asking each a simple question: Of the Tar Heel lawyers whose work you have observed firsthand, whom would you rate among the current best in these categories? Voters are not allowed to vote for themselves. They may select members of their firms only if they pick out-of-firm lawyers in the same categories, with the latter votes weighted more heavily.
About Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. (RCD)
For more than 35 years, Rayburn Cooper & Durham has served both businesses and individuals with bankruptcy and financial restructuring, business litigation and general corporate matters. The attorneys within the firm have extensive experience and provide creative solutions to help clients establish their enterprises, grow and prosper and also protect their rights, assets, and interests. Recognizing the unique needs of their clients, RCD does not represent large banks or financial institutions. RCD – The way forward. www.rcdlaw.net
Posted 07/08/19
Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. is pleased to announce that six partners in the firm have been selected for inclusion in 2019 North Carolina Super Lawyers®:
2019 North Carolina Super Lawyers
Scott Cooper – Business/Corporate
Albert Durham – Bankruptcy, Business
Ross Fulton – Business Litigation, General Litigation, Employment Litigation
James Gatehouse – Business Litigation
G. Kirk Hardymon – Business Litigation
Jack Miller – Bankruptcy, Business
2019 North Carolina Top 100
Albert Durham
Super Lawyers® is an annual listing of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.
The selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers®, a Thomson Reuters business. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers® undertakes a rigorous multi-phased process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent research evaluation of candidates, and peer reviews by practice area. Only 5% of North Carolina attorneys have been selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers®.
Learn more about the selection process.
About Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. (RCD)
For more than 35 years, Rayburn Cooper & Durham has served both businesses and individuals with bankruptcy and financial restructuring, business litigation and general corporate matters. The attorneys within the firm have extensive experience and provide creative solutions to help clients establish their enterprises, grow and prosper and also protect their rights, assets, and interests. Recognizing the unique needs of their clients, RCD does not represent large banks or financial institutions. RCD – The way forward. www.rcdlaw.net
Posted 06/28/19
For the thirteenth consecutive year, Chambers USA has recognized Rayburn Cooper & Durham and its attorneys. Chambers USA gives its top Band 1 rating in North Carolina to the firm’s bankruptcy practice, stating that RCD is “[w]idely regarded as a leading firm for debtor-side bankruptcy work, acting for companies in financial difficulties on recapitalizations, workouts and other insolvency work” and is “[r]egularly retained on some of the most significant matters in North Carolina.”
“An Interviewee notes: ‘They have a very strong reputation. They are the go-to debtor shop.’”
Richard Rayburn, first ranked in Chambers USA 2007, is “‘the best debtors’ attorney in the state,’ according to one interviewee. He appears in a wide range of bankruptcy proceedings, as well as advising on distressed M&A and broader corporate litigation.”
Of counsel Albert Durham, first ranked in Chambers USA in 2009, “is held in high regard by market sources for his long-standing experience in corporate bankruptcy proceedings. He acts for debtors both in and out of courtroom filings, advising on workouts and reorganizations.”
RCD is one of the smallest law firms in North Carolina to receive accolades from the independent research publisher Chambers and Partners, considered to be among the most prestigious of law firm rating organizations.
The Chambers USA directory is published annually by UK-based Chambers and Partners. The independent guide is compiled by a team of more than 140 researchers based on interviews with lawyers and clients throughout the United States.
Individual lawyers are ranked on the basis of their legal knowledge and experience, their ability, their effectiveness, and their client-service. In addition to these qualities, rankings of practices areas are based on the effectiveness and capability of the department as a whole – its strength and depth.
Posted 06/19/19
Five attorneys from Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. have been recognized by their peers as 2018 “Legal Elite” in Business North Carolina Magazine’s annual list.
Al Durham – Bankruptcy
Ross Fulton – Litigation
James Gatehouse – Business
David Melin – Litigation
Jack Miller – Bankruptcy
In addition, Rick Rayburn previously received the distinction of being named to the “Legal Elite Hall of Fame” for Bankruptcy Law.
Legal Elite Methodology
Each year, Business North Carolina sends ballot notices to every member of the N.C. State Bar living in North Carolina — asking each a simple question: Of the Tar Heel lawyers whose work you have observed firsthand, whom would you rate among the current best in these categories? Voters are not allowed to vote for themselves. They may select members of their firms only if they pick out-of-firm lawyers in the same categories, with the latter votes weighted more heavily.
About Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. (RCD)
For more than 35 years, Rayburn Cooper & Durham has served both businesses and individuals with bankruptcy and financial restructuring, business litigation and general corporate matters. The attorneys within the firm have extensive experience and provide creative solutions to help clients establish their enterprises, grow and prosper and also protect their rights, assets, and interests. Recognizing the unique needs of their clients, RCD does not represent large banks or financial institutions. RCD – The way forward. www.rcdlaw.net
Posted 01/09/18
Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. is pleased to announce that all partners in the firm have been selected for inclusion in 2018 North Carolina Super Lawyers®:
2018 North Carolina Super Lawyers
Scott Cooper – Business/Corporate, Mergers & Acquisitions, Securities & Corporate Finance
Albert Durham – Bankruptcy
Ross Fulton – Business Litigation, General Litigation, Employment Litigation
James Gatehouse – Business Litigation, Securities Litigation
G. Kirk Hardymon – Business Litigation
David Melin – Business Litigation, Real Estate, General Litigation
Jack Miller – Bankruptcy, Business/Corporate, Business Litigation
Rick Rayburn – Business /Corporate, Bankruptcy, Business Litigation
2018 North Carolina Top 100
Albert Durham
Rick Rayburn
Super Lawyers is an annual listing of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.
The selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers undertakes a rigorous multi-phased process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent research evaluation of candidates, and peer reviews by practice area. Only 5% of North Carolina attorneys have been selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers.
Learn more about the selection process.
Posted 01/02/18
For the eleventh consecutive year, Chambers USA has recognized Rayburn Cooper & Durham and its attorneys. Chambers USA gives its top Band 1 rating in North Carolina to the firm’s bankruptcy practice, stating that RCD is “[w]idely regarded as a leading firm for debtor-side bankruptcy work, acting for companies in financial difficulties on recapitalizations, workouts and other insolvency work” and is “[r]egularly retained on some of the most significant matters in North Carolina.”
“Interviewees confirm that this is ‘the preeminent debtor practice,’ citing its ‘excellent reputation as a boutique debtor-focused restructuring firm.’”
Richard Rayburn, first ranked in Chambers USA 2007, “is highly renowned for his representation of debtors in bankruptcy litigation and workouts. Interviewees confirm his ‘great reputation,’ labeling him ‘the best’ in this space.”
Of counsel Albert Durham, first ranked in Chambers USA in 2009, is “recognized for his longstanding debtor-side practice. He remains a key point of contact for distressed companies in court proceedings and financing restructuring.”
RCD is one of the smallest law firms in North Carolina to receive accolades from the independent research publisher Chambers and Partners, considered to be among the most prestigious of law firm rating organizations.
The Chambers USA directory is published annually by UK-based Chambers and Partners. The independent guide is compiled by a team of more than 140 researchers based on interviews with lawyers and clients throughout the United States.
Individual lawyers are ranked on the basis of their legal knowledge and experience, their ability, their effectiveness, and their client-service. In addition to these qualities, rankings of practices areas are based on the effectiveness and capability of the department as a whole – its strength and depth.
Posted 06/06/17
Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. is pleased to announce that the following attorneys from the firm have been selected for inclusion in 2017 North Carolina Super Lawyers® and 2017 North Carolina Rising Stars:
2017 North Carolina Super Lawyers
W. Scott Cooper – Business/Corporate
Albert Durham – Bankruptcy, Business
Ross Fulton – Business Litigation
James Gatehouse – Business Litigation
G. Kirkland Hardymon – Business Litigation
David Melin – Business Litigation
Jack Miller – Bankruptcy, Business
Rick Rayburn – Business/Corporate
2017 North Carolina Rising Stars
Shelley Abel – Bankruptcy, Business
2017 North Carolina Top 100
Albert Durham
Rick Rayburn
Super Lawyers is an annual listing of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.
The selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers undertakes a rigorous multi-phased process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent research evaluation of candidates, and peer reviews by practice area. Only 5% of North Carolina attorneys have been selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers.
The Rising Stars selection process is identical to the Super Lawyers process, with one exception: to be eligible, a candidate must be either age 40 years old or younger, or in practice for 10 years or less. Only 2.5% of North Carolina attorneys are selected for the Rising Stars list. Learn more about the selection process.
Posted 01/30/17
Three Rayburn Cooper & Durham attorneys have been recognized by their peers as 2017 “Legal Elite” in Business North Carolina Magazine’s annual list.
2017 Legal Elite
Shelley Koon Abel – Bankruptcy
Ross R. Fulton – Business Litigation
John R. Miller, Jr. – Bankruptcy
C. Richard Rayburn, Jr. previously received the distinction of being named to the “Legal Elite Hall of Fame” for Bankruptcy Law.
Legal Elite Methodology
Each year, Business North Carolina sends ballot notices to every member of the N.C. State Bar living in North Carolina — asking each a simple question: Of the Tar Heel lawyers whose work you have observed firsthand, whom would you rate among the current best in these categories? Voters are not allowed to vote for themselves. They may select members of their firms only if they pick out-of-firm lawyers in the same categories, with the latter votes weighted more heavily.
About Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. (RCD)
For more than 35 years, Rayburn Cooper & Durham has served both businesses and individuals with bankruptcy and financial restructuring, business litigation and general corporate matters. The attorneys within the firm have extensive experience and provide creative solutions to help clients establish their enterprises, grow and prosper and also protect their rights, assets, and interests. Recognizing the unique needs of their clients, RCD does not represent large banks or financial institutions. RCD – The way forward. www.rcdlaw.net
Posted 01/03/17
The North Carolina Bar Association’s Bankruptcy Section has recognized RCD attorney Al Durham with its Lifetime Achievement Award.
The award, which recognizes Al’s service to and leadership within the Bankruptcy Bar, was presented at the 39th Annual Bankruptcy Institute in New Bern, NC on November 18, 2016. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a bankruptcy practitioner who, for not less than 25 years, has contributed to the betterment of the NCBA Bankruptcy Section and the profession and who has set an aspiring example for those who follow.
Al has practiced bankruptcy law, appearing in the Bankruptcy Courts of North Carolina, South Carolina and Delaware, for over forty years. Al served as the president of the NCBA’s Bankruptcy Section from 1990-91. He has been a Certified Specialist in Business and Consumer Bankruptcy Law since 1987, the first year the NC Bar certified specialists in these fields.
“Our attorneys regularly benefit from Al’s exceptional knowledge of the Bankruptcy Code and related case law, his untiring dedication to his clients, his attention to detail, and his commitment to civility among members of the bar,” said Rick Rayburn, RCD’s managing shareholder. “Dozens of North Carolina attorneys count Al as a mentor and a friend – someone they trust for his exceptional analytical skills, unmatched treasure trove of cases and articles, and unfailing willingness to share his knowledge. Al is a true stalwart of the North Carolina Bankruptcy Bar.”
Al Durham represents debtors in business workouts and financial reorganizations and trustees, debtors, creditors, and creditors’ committees in business bankruptcies under Chapter 7 or 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. He also assists with restructuring financing and/or operations outside a formal court proceeding for financially distressed businesses.
RCD is proud that Al’s peers have recognized him with this singular honor.
Posted 12/20/16
U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers in America included Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. in their “Best Law Firms®” list in the Charlotte metropolitan area for 2017. Following an annual evaluation, U.S. News Media Group awarded RCD rankings in the following practice areas.
– Corporate Law
– Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights /Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Also ranked in:
– Commercial Litigation
The U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations, peer review from leading attorneys in their field, and review of additional information provided by law firms as part of the formal submission process. To be eligible for a ranking in a particular practice area and metro region, a law firm must have at least one lawyer who is included in Best Lawyers in that particular practice area and metro. For more information, please visit bestlawfirms.usnews.com.
Posted 11/02/16
The Best Lawyers in America® recognized Rayburn Cooper & Durham attorneys in its 2017 edition.
Rick Rayburn is listed by Best Lawyers in the areas of: 
– Corporate Law,
– Bet-the-Company Litigation,
– Commercial Litigation, and
– Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law.
Rayburn has served as the managing shareholder of Rayburn Cooper & Durham for over 30 years. He represents business enterprises and individuals in a wide variety of financial transactions and commercial disputes including corporate and commercial litigation, financial restructurings, business reorganizations, workouts, executive employment contracts and disputes, shareholder disputes, business formations, venture capital infusions, private and public securities offerings, mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, divestitures, refinancings, and recapitalizations.
Al Durham is listed in the area of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law. Durham represents debtors in business workouts and financial reorganizations and trustees, debtors, creditors, and creditors’ committees in business bankruptcies under Chapter 7 or 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. He also works with restructuring financing and/or operations outside a formal court proceeding for financially distressed business entities.
Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. Over 83,000 leading attorneys globally are eligible to vote, and Best Lawyers has received more than 13 million votes to date on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world. For the 2017 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©, 7.3 million votes were analyzed, which resulted in almost 55,000 leading lawyers being included in the new edition. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”
About Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. (RCD)
For more than 35 years, Rayburn Cooper & Durham has served both businesses and individuals with bankruptcy and financial restructuring, business litigation and general corporate matters. The attorneys within the firm have extensive experience and provide creative solutions to help clients establish their enterprises, grow and prosper and also protect their rights, assets, and interests. Recognizing the unique needs of their clients, RCD does not represent large banks or financial institutions. RCD – The way forward. www.rcdlaw.net
Posted 08/23/16
