Archive for the ‘Honors and Awards’ Category
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
For the tenth 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 sighted on some of the most significant matters in North Carolina.”
“‘Rick Rayburn and his team are extraordinary.’”
Richard Rayburn, first ranked in Chambers USA 2007, “is a hugely experienced attorney who is described by sources as a ‘fantastic lawyer’ for bankruptcy work.”
Of counsel Albert Durham, first ranked in Chambers USA in 2009, is “a seasoned practitioner with a wealth of experience representing debtors in the gamut of bankruptcy and restructuring work.”
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 06/06/16
Rayburn Cooper & Durham is pleased to announce that the North Carolina State Bar’s Board of Legal Specialization presented Al Durham with the Sara H. Davis Excellence Award on April 29, 2016. The Board accepts nominations and presents this award to a certified specialist who has a “long and consistent record of handling challenging matters successfully, for sharing knowledge and experience with other lawyers, for earning the respect and admiration of all others with whom the lawyer comes into contact in his/her daily work, and for high ethical standards.”
Al Durham has been a Certified Specialist in Business and Consumer Bankruptcy Law since 1987, the first year that the Bar certified specialists in these fields. One of his nominators described Al as “an example to the entire Bankruptcy Bar for his meticulous analytical capabilities and encyclopedic knowledge of the Bankruptcy Code.” Another nominator shared that Al is a “caring mentor to attorneys both within and outside his firm.”
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 works with restructuring financing and/or operations outside a formal court proceeding for financially distressed business entities.
RCD is proud that Al’s many accomplishments and tireless work ethic have recognized by his peers and the NC State Bar.
Posted 04/30/16
Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. is pleased to announce that the following attorneys from the firm have been selected for inclusion in 2016 North Carolina Super Lawyers® and 2016 North Carolina Rising Stars:
2016 North Carolina Super Lawyers
Albert Durham – Bankruptcy, Business
James Gatehouse – Business Litigation
G. Kirk Hardymon – Business Litigation
David Melin – Business Litigation
Jack Miller – Bankruptcy, Business
Rick Rayburn – Business / Corporate
2016 North Carolina Rising Stars
Shelley Abel – Bankruptcy, Business
Ross Fulton – Business Litigation
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.
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 02/26/16
Two Rayburn Cooper & Durham attorneys have been recognized by their peers as 2016 “Legal Elite” in Business North Carolina Magazine’s annual list.
2016 Legal Elite
Shelley Koon Abel – Bankruptcy
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 02/13/16
RCD member Shelley Abel has been appointed to a three-year term on the Bankruptcy Section Council of the North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA).
The Bankruptcy Section provides a means by which members of the North Carolina Bar Association who have a special interest in bankruptcy can come together to discuss relevant issues, exchange information and ideas, and promote professional relationships among members. The Bankruptcy Section sponsors CLE programs including the annual NCBA Bankruptcy Institute and other continuing education services, provides members with a substantive newsletter, and makes recommendations concerning legislation touching on or affecting bankruptcy issues.
Posted 12/01/15
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 2016. Following an annual evaluation, U.S. News Media Group awarded RCD rankings in the following practice areas.
First Tier Rankings in:
– 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 11/18/15
Three attorneys from Rayburn Cooper & Durham were selected for inclusion in the 22nd edition of The Best Lawyers in America®.
Rick Rayburn was recognized in the areas of:
– Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law,
– Bet-the-Company Litigation,
– Commercial Litigation, and
– Corporate Law.
Both Al Durham and Paul Baynard were recognized in the area of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law.
Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as a definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. Over 79,000 leading attorneys globally are eligible to vote, and Best Lawyers has received more than 12 million votes to date on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world. For the 2016 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©, 6.7 million votes were analyzed, which resulted in more than 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.”
Posted 08/19/15
For the ninth consecutive year, Chambers USA has recognized Rayburn Cooper & Durham and its attorneys. Chambers USA 2015 gives its top rating in North Carolina to the firm’s bankruptcy practice, stating the firm is “a go-to firm on Chapter 11 work” and “a great team.” The RCD bankruptcy team is “[r]ecognized as one of the leading debtor counsel teams in the state, with a broad practice involving workouts, restructuring, asset sales and bankruptcy procedures.”
In addition, Rick Rayburn and Al Durham were identified as leading lawyers in their field. Chambers USA reports: “Richard Rayburn is described as ‘one of the smartest lawyers I have ever been around’ by an impressed interviewee.”
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 06/05/15
Shelley Koon Abel and John R. (“Jack”) Miller, Jr., were recently certified by the American Board of Certification as specialists in Business Bankruptcy Law. Jack and Shelley are both shareholders of the firm, concentrating their respective practices in representing both small and large businesses who are debtors or creditors in corporate workouts, financial reorganizations, and in business bankruptcies under Chapter 7 and 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. This certification complements their existing certification from the North Carolina State Bar in the same area of specialization. They join Al Durham, also a business bankruptcy specialist, who has been certified by the North Carolina State Bar since 1987 and by the American Board of Certification since 1993.
To become certified, Jack and Shelley satisfied the following requirements:
- Full time practice of law for at least five years;
- Good standing in the bars of all states in which a license to practice law is held;
- Devoted at least 30% of practice time and at least 400 hours to bankruptcy related matters in the last three years;
- Documented involvement in business bankruptcy by providing information on cases practiced;
- Demonstrated commitment to continuing legal education by earning at least 60 hours of bankruptcy education in the past three years; and
- Passed an extensive, day-long written examination covering business bankruptcy issues.
The American Board of Certification (ABC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the public and improving the quality of the bankruptcy bar. The rigorous ABC certification standards are designed to encourage bankruptcy practitioners to strive toward excellence and to recognize those attorneys who are experts in the bankruptcy field. The ABC offers separate certification programs in business and consumer bankruptcy and creditors’ rights. All three ABC certification programs are accredited by the American Bar Association. The ABC is co-sponsored by The American Bankruptcy Institute and the Commercial Law League of America.
Posted 04/09/15
Rayburn Cooper & Durham is pleased to announce that five of our attorneys were selected to North Carolina Super Lawyers® 2015. Al Durham and Rick Rayburn also were selected to the Charlotte Top 25 Attorneys and the North Carolina Top 100 Attorneys. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Lawyers are selected through independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations. RCD attorneys selected as 2015 North Carolina Super Lawyers and the area for which each is recognized are:
2015 North Carolina Super Lawyers:
Paul Baynard – Bankruptcy: Business
Al Durham – Bankruptcy: Business
Brad Gatehouse – Business Litigation
Kirk Hardymon – Business Litigation
Rick Rayburn – Business/Corporate
The following RCD attorneys were named North Carolina Rising Stars for 2015, which recognizes top up-and-coming lawyers who are 40 years old or younger, or who have been practicing 10 or fewer years. No more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state are recognized.
Shelley Abel – Bankruptcy: Business
Ross Fulton – Business Litigation
Dave Melin – Business Litigation
Jack Miller – Bankruptcy: Business
Will Smoak – Business/Corporate
Posted 01/21/15
Four Rayburn Cooper & Durham attorneys have been selected by their peers for inclusion in Business North Carolina’s annual list of Legal Elite in North Carolina. They are:
Shelley Koon Abel – Bankruptcy
Paul Baynard – Bankruptcy
Brad Gatehouse – Business
Jack Miller – Bankruptcy
Rick Rayburn is a member of the Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite “Hall of Fame” after receiving the top number of votes for the Bankruptcy practice area in 2006.
About Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite
Since 2002, Business North Carolina magazine has honored Tar Heel lawyers by publishing Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite, a listing of the state’s top lawyers in business-related categories. Winners are chosen not by BNC editors but by the state’s lawyers. Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite gives every active lawyer in the state the opportunity to participate. Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite includes the top lawyers chosen using this statewide ballot. 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.
Posted 01/08/15
In the 2015 edition of the U.S. News — Best Lawyers® rankings of the “Best Law Firms,” Rayburn Cooper & Durham was selected for inclusion in multiple practice areas in North Carolina:
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Commercial Litigation
- Corporate Law
These rankings complement the recognition of two RCD attorneys selected for inclusion in the 2015 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® which was released in August 2014.
About “Best Law Firms”
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, a law firm must have at least one lawyer listed in 20th Edition of The Best Lawyers in America list for that particular location and practice area.
Posted 11/06/14
Two attorneys from Rayburn Cooper & Durham were selected for inclusion in the 2015 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. Rick Rayburn was recognized in the areas of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation, and Corporate Law. Al Durham was recognized in the area of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law.
About The Best Lawyers in America®
Best Lawyers® is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey. First published in 1983, over 50,000 leading attorneys cast more than 5.5 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed. Inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor.
Posted 08/19/14
