News

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Head of Derivatives Ed Ivey was quoted in the American Banker article titled, “Libor ends next month. Some borrowers may be in for a nasty surprise,” which was published on June 1.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) German Desk Director Daisy Birtalan served as a guest speaker for the AdvantageAustria USA Bootcamp Atlanta in May, focusing on US legal issues and the comparisons between Austrian and US law. AdvantageAustria Atlanta assists Austrian companies interested in doing business in the Southeastern US, identifies business opportunities and partners, and offers guidance regarding US import and Customs procedures.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that the 2023 Chambers USA legal industry referral guide has ranked the firm and two MVA attorneys as national leaders in Financial Services Regulation: Banking (Compliance). In addition, the firm was ranked nationally in Banking & Finance, and 10 MVA practice areas and 34 firm attorneys were highly ranked in the Carolinas.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Intellectual Property Associate Sam Skains-Menchaca was selected for inclusion to the Wells Fargo Legal Department’s 2023 Diversity College. The individuals selected are experienced and successful attorneys who have been with their respective firm for five or more years.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Financial Restructuring Member David Wheeler was quoted in the Post and Courier article titled, “SC mortgage rules from last foreclosure crisis fade away,” which was published on May 30.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) was named one of North Carolina’s leading Intellectual Property firms in Managing Intellectual Property’s edition of IP Stars, a legal directory that provides state-by-state analysis of the nation’s IP market. 

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Litigation Associate Sarah Sheridan was selected to Leadership Charlotte’s 45th class. The Leadership Charlotte program, considered a “backstage” pass to the Charlotte community, was established for emerging and existing leaders. It is a two-part program, starting with ten, once-a-month program days where approximately 50 participants explore current issues with a variety of community leaders.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Head of Global Services and Co-head of ESOP Transactions Member Mike Zeller served as a guest speaker at The ESOP Association National Conference in Washington, DC on Friday, May 19. The panel titled, “Private Capital Investments in ESOP’s,” discussed alternative strategies for ESOPs to partner with private equity investors and considerations to factor into your decision making.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Wealth & Estate Planning Member Thomas Cooper served as guest speaker for Queens University Estate Planners day session titled, “Business Structuring and Succession from a Stakeholder Perspective,” on May 18.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) was recognized as a recipient of the Lawyers of Color (LOC) Aspire Diversity Award on May 18. MVA Financial Services Senior Counsel Jonathan Murray and Litigator Jamea Richardson represented the firm at the LOC awards last week in Washington, D.C. Lawyers of Color is devoted to promoting diversity in the legal profession and advancing democracy and equality in marginalized communities.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Zoning, Entitlement & Land Use team was featured in Charlotte Business Journal article titled, “Charlotte law firm Moore & Van Allen adds former city zoning administrator to land-use team,” which was published on May 22. The article discussed MVA Land Use & Zoning Consultant Shad Spencer joining the team and Co-head of Zoning, Entitlement & Land Use Bridget Grant’s recent promotion.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Financial Services Member Kaitlin Powers was profiled for the Charlotte Business Journal 40 Under 40 award. Kaitlin provides insight on her greatest accomplishments, current volunteer activities, and living in the Charlotte region.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Financial Restructuring Member Gabe Mathless served as guest speaker at the 2023 WDNC Bankruptcy Seminar panel titled, “Cryptocurrency and Bankruptcy,” on May 19. The speakers discussed the recent crypto-related bankruptcies and the crypto-related updates to the Uniform Commercial Code.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Litigation Member Tony Lathrop served as moderator for the NC Chamber Transportation & Infrastructure Summit panel titled, “NC DOT Funding,” on May 18. The speakers discussed North Carolina’s transportation funding model, future revenue needs, project delays, and their perspectives on public perceptions and innovative ideas.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) was proud to sponsor Walk A Mile With Safe Alliance 2023, which took place May 13. MVA Associates Taylor Boyles, Aishaah Foster, Precious McLaughlin, and Alexis Narducci served on the Walk A Mile 2023 committee.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that Felicia M. Gardner has joined the firm’s Employee Benefits & Compensation team as member. She most recently served as associate general counsel at Bank of America, where she advised on benefits, compensation, and litigation management.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) General Counsel Caroline Yingling served as a panelist for the NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association’s event, “Reactivating Charlotte’s Central Business District,” on May 9.

MVA was thrilled to once again participate in the North Carolina Legal Feeding Frenzy — a food and fund drive competition among all North Carolina law firms, law schools, and organizations to assist Feeding The Carolinas. The Frenzy, which is held throughout the month of March, is an annual joint program of the NCBA Young Lawyers Division and Feeding the Carolinas food banks that aims to fight hunger across the state. MVA has been named the winner of the Legal Feeding Frenzy’s Large Law Firm Division for three years in a row.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Head of Global Services and Co-head of ESOP Transactions Member Mike Zeller served as a virtual speaker for the Winston-Salem Black Chamber of Commerce's Road to Business Resilience Cohort 3-Road to Business Resilience Training on May 9. Mike spoke on the topic titled, “Funding, Leadership & Management.” The Cohort 3 took a deeper dive into the nuts and bolts of the major forms of EO, EO as a succession planning tool, the benefits of EO, and an overview of the conversion process.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Chair & Managing Partner Tom Mitchell and Head of Civil Rights & Racial Equity Assessments and Co-head of White Collar, Regulatory Defense & Investigations Valecia McDowell were named to Business North Carolina’s Power List 2023. The annual report highlights the state’s most influential leaders from several area industries.

Moore & Van Allen Head of Employment & Labor Wood Lay was quoted in the Human Resources Director article titled, “Secret ballots, independent contractors in spotlight with proposed changes to ERA,” which was published on May 3.

CAB Worldwide LLC completed a growth recapitalization led by Heritage Growth Partners LLC in order to expand capabilities of CAB and support CAB’s growing operations. PNC Bank, N.A., represented by Financial Services Counsel Derek Marks, amended the existing senior secured debt facility in connection with the transaction.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Litigation Associate Sarah Sheridan’s article titled, “ABA Guidance Doesn’t Fully Clarify Ethics and Interstate Practice” was published by Bloomberg Law on May 3. 

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that Shad Spencer, former zoning administrator for the City of Charlotte’s Planning, Design & Development Department, has joined the firm’s Zoning, Entitlement & Land Use team as a zoning consultant. Additionally, the firm has elevated Land Use & Zoning Consultant Bridget Grant to co-lead the team, along with veteran Commercial Real Estate Member Jeff Brown.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) is pleased to announce that four attorneys of the Charleston office have been selected to the 2023 South Carolina Super Lawyers list. Financial Restructuring Member David Wheeler has been selected as a South Carolina Super Lawyer in the Bankruptcy: Business category. Corporate Member Trey Robinson has been selected to the 2023 South Carolina Rising Starts list in the Business/Corporate category, and Health Care Member Jessica Simpson has been selected to the 2023 South Carolina Rising Stars list in the Health Care category.

Moore and Van Allen’s Human Trafficking Pro Bono Project was recognized by United States Attorney Dena King during the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week event hosted by the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina. MVA attorneys Sarah Byrne, Jennifer Braccia and Kristin Arnold represented the firm at the event.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Member Beth Buckner served as a guest speaker for the SME Business Development Conference panel titled, “Scaling your US footprint: Opportunities & challenges when growing in the USA,” which was moderated by MVA German Desk Director Daisy Birtalan on April 24.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that Head of Derivatives Edward “Ed” H. Ivey has been selected as one of The Daily Report’s 2023 Southeastern Legal Awards “On the Rise” honorees. Honorees will be presented at a gala in Atlanta on June 22. Also in June, The Daily Report will publish a special report highlighting the accomplishments and skill of this year’s winners.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Members John Fagg and Jim McLoughlin, both Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators and Chambers-ranked practitioners, recently provided commentary to Lawdragon regarding the White Collar Enforcement Under the Biden Administration. They provided their take on the Administration’s enforcement efforts so far, and what might be coming down the pipeline as the Biden Administration follows through on campaign promises to pursue more white collar criminal cases. Federal prosecutors have been pursuing COVID-related frauds, giving prosecutors significant trial experience and the Department of Justice numerous victories in court.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) was honored on April 19, 2023, for its dedication to supporting survivors of domestic violence and sexual violence through the delivery of pro bono legal representation. Under the direction of Litigation Associate Rachael Coe, the MVA Domestic Violence Pro Bono Partnership - in collaboration with the Safe Alliance Legal Representation Project and Wells Fargo legal department - work alongside clients to secure domestic violence protective orders and advocate for their rights and safety.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that Financial Services Member Kaitlin D. Powers has been selected for the Charlotte Business Journal’s 2023 class of 40 Under 40 honorees. All honorees will be formally recognized at an awards event on May 17 and featured in a CBJ special report on May 19.

MVA Member Charles Jordan serves on the Charleston Regional Development Alliance (CRDA) Board of Directors and its Leadership Development Committee. CRDA assists businesses that are located elsewhere around the country and outside of the United States to relocate or expand their operations into the Charleston region and also provides resources for local businesses to expand their operations. 

MVA Health Care Associate Kevin Siebs served as a guest speaker for the AHLA podcast titled, “ACO REACH: Exploring CMMI’s New ACO Model,” which was published on April 14. The podcast focused on the ACO Realizing Equity Access and Community Health (REACH) Model discussing reasons for participation in ACO REACH, aspects of the model’s benchmark methodology, the model’s payment mechanisms, and key compliance issues related to the model.

MVA Litigation Associate Sarah Sheridan served as guest speaker for NCBA Antitrust & Complex Business Disputes Law Section CLE on February 2. This CLE provided insight on insurance and the effective use of experts, challenges lawyers face in complex business disputes, mental health issues, and how to build trust with clients and colleagues. 

MVA and CRDA Board of Directors Member Charles Jordan and Associates Michaela Cronin and William Stroud attended the Charleston Regional Development Alliance (CRDA) Quarterly Investor Briefing event on April 11. Attendees heard from a panel of three local entrepreneurs about how they’ve grown their businesses in an unsteady economic time.

MVA Wealth & Estate Planning Member Caitlin Horne was elected as a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). Established in 1949, ACTEC is a national, nonprofit association of approximately 2,400 lawyers and law professors from throughout the United States and abroad. ACTEC Fellows are peer-elected on the basis of professional reputation and expertise in the preparation of wills and trusts, estate planning, probate, trust administration and related practice areas.

MVA Member Ryan Smith served as a guest lecturer at the UNC Chapel Hill School of Law. The class, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation, is taught by MVA Senior Counsel Beth Grimes.

Moore & Van Allen Employment and Labor Member John Zaloom quoted in the SHRM article titled, “When Fitness-for-Duty Examinations Are Allowed” which was published on April 7.  

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) was ranked within the 2022 Leopard Law Firm Index ("LLFI") top 200 law firms by legal intelligence provider Leopard Solutions. The top 200 law firms consistently performed well in the Leopard Law Firm Index throughout 2022, resulting in this top-ranking achievement. The Index objectively ranks the overall growth and stability of law firms using hard data. MVA ranked #144 in the 2022 Index.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Co-head of Financial Regulatory Advice & Response Ed O’Keefe and Senior Counsel John Stoker served as guest speakers at the UNC Banking Institute CLE for the panel titled, “Developments in UDAAP As an Enforcement Tool” on March 31.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Senior Counsel Financial Regulatory Advice & Response Sarah Byrne and Head of Civil Rights & Racial Equity Assessments Valecia McDowell served as guest speakers for the Corporate Counsel Symposium 2023: ESG for In-House Lawyers webinar on Friday, March 31. Sarah and Valecia discussed analysis of opportunities to advance “social” goals through governance mechanisms; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) external audits, internal privileged reviews, and related interventions; recent backlash to DEI initiatives; anti-human trafficking practices; supply chain due diligence to identify forced labor, and overview of common key performance indicators (KPI) for S-linked loans.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) has been recognized as a Global Competition Review (GCR) 2023 “Behavioural Matter of the Year – Americas” award winner. MVA, along with other defense firms, received the award for securing complete acquittals in a high-profile U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) criminal antitrust prosecution of executives in the chicken industry.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Co-heads of Trademark Michele Glessner and Henry Ward, Members Kate Cole, Arlene Hanks, and Mark Wilson, and Senior Counsel Ellen Andelman receive 2023 World Trademark Review 1000 (WTR 1000) recognition.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Financial Regulatory Advice & Response Senior Counsel John Stoker served as guest speaker for The University of North Carolina School of Law CLE titled “ABCs of Banking Law” on March 29. This CLE provided an introduction, or a primer, for attorneys seeking an understanding of the regulatory framework governing the banking industry.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Co-head of White Collar, Regulatory Defense & Investigations Valecia McDowell was named to the 2023 North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Power List for Business Defense. The Power List program recognizes top lawyers in a particular practice area. These attorneys are experts in their field, known for their expertise, and accomplishments.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Financial Restructuring Member Luis Lluberas served on two panels for the 2023 Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute (SBLI) 49th Annual Seminar which took place March 22-24 in Atlanta, Georgia. 

MVA celebrated International Women’s Day Program by gathering for a TED Talk Video titled, “A Girl Who Demanded School” by Kakenya Ntaiya. Dr. Kakenya Ntaiya is the founder and president of Kakenya’s Dream, an international nonprofit organization leveraging education to empower girls, end harmful traditional practices, and transform communities in rural Kenya.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Firm Chair Tom Mitchell has been named to the Class of 2023 Leaders in the Law by North Carolina Lawyers Weekly. “Leaders in the Law” is an annual award that celebrates those lawyers who are setting the standard for other lawyers.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that F. Eugene Allison has joined the firm’s Commercial Real Estate team as senior counsel.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Litigation Counsel Julianne Farnsworth was elected as a member of the Charleston County Bar Association Executive Committee on February 23.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Co-head of Financial Regulatory Advice & Response Member Ed O'Keefe served as speaker at the SIFMA C&L Annual Seminar which took place on March 12-15 in San Diego, CA. Ed joined as a panelist for the session titled “Prudential Bank Regulators’ View of Compliance Programs” on March 13.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Litigation Counsel Tiffany Payne was quoted in the Law360 article, “Mob Mentality: DOJ Wields RICO With Mixed Results” which was published on February 17.

MVA Senior Counsel Beth Grimes continues to serve as Adjunct Professor in her sixth year of teaching Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation at UNC Chapel Hill School of Law. This semester long course focuses on non-cash employer provided benefits designed to help employees save for retirement and cover health care costs through the use of plans that are qualified under the Internal Revenue Code.

Moore & Van Allen White Collar, Regulatory Defense & Investigations Member Frank Schall was quoted in the Law360 article titled, “White Collar Attys Brace For More Latin America FCPA Action” which was published February 8.

Moore & Van Allen Intellectual Property Member Suzanne Gainey served as a guest speaker for the Association of Corporate Counsel webinar on February 9 titled, “Emerging Issues in Third Party Contract Negotiation Webinar.” Over 150 members attended the webinar. 

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) has ranked top for Charlotte largest law firms and most female attorneys in the recent Charlotte Business Journal article for 2023. MVA, which remains Charlotte’s largest law firm, has the most female attorneys in its local office with 126, including 31 partners.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) represented an investor and executive during the recent transaction of Groundworks, LLC , a leading foundation repair and water management services company, and KKR, a leading global investment firm, in which KKR made a significant investment in Groundworks as part of a new strategic partnership. The transaction was highlighted in M&A Weekly on February 2nd.

Moore & Van Allen’s (MVA) Finance team has ranked at the top of the Refinitiv Loan Pricing Corporation’s (LPC) 2022 U.S. Law Firm League Tables for representing Lead Arrangers on syndicated loan transactions. Through 2022, MVA advised on 185 syndicated loan transactions, which generated over $126 billion in aggregate gross proceeds and earned the firm a first-place position on the league table for all syndicated loans based on number of deals.

MVA Environmental Member Peter McGrath joined myLawCLE on January 30, 2023 for a live webinar titled, “Policy Changes Relating to CERCLA Liability: Status of CERCLA contribution and indemnity law, definition of potentially responsible partis, and CERLCA settlement arrangements.”

On January 31, Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Bankruptcy Member Gabriel Mathless was elected chair of Mecklenburg County’s Citizen’s Capital Budget Advisory Committee, which provides oversight over, and facilitates community input into, the County’s $1.75B Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).

MVA Senior Counsel Sarah Byrne joined Kym Kurey with Vital4 Strategic as guest speakers for a live webinar that was held on January 26 titled, “CFPB’s New Rule on Human Trafficking: Overview & Updates.”

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that 28 of the firm’s attorneys have been named to the 2023 edition of North Carolina Super Lawyers or North Carolina Rising Stars lists. Additionally, Member Valecia M. McDowell was named to the “Top 25” list of Charlotte Super Lawyers, “Top 50” list of Women North Carolina Super Lawyers and “Top 100” list of North Carolina Super Lawyers. Member Karin M. McGinnis was named to the “Top 50” list of Women North Carolina Super Lawyers and Member James (Jim) P. McLoughlin, Jr. was named to the “Top 100” list of North Carolina Super Lawyers.

The MVA Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association (APALA) kicked off the new year by holding a social at Bad Axe Throwing on January 23.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that prominent employment and labor attorney has joined the firm as a member and new head of the firm’s existing Employment and Labor Practice.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that 45 of the firm’s attorneys have been named to the 2023 Business North Carolina “Legal Elite”. This marks the firm’s largest-ever class of honorees for the magazine’s annual list of the top business lawyers in North Carolina.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that it has elected nine attorneys as members of the firm. The new members are Robert K. Burrow, Suzanne K. Gainey, James “Van” V.C. Gambrell, Matthew “Matt” R. Mollozzi, Kaitlin D. Powers, C. Cowden W. Rayburn, Ben E. Shook, and Emily Pera Stevenson.

Moore & Van Allen Land Use team members Jeff Brown and Bridget Grant were engaged to assist DreamKey Partners, Roers Development, and Winterwood Development with three rezonings designed to provide affordable housing options in Charlotte. All three rezonings were approved by Charlotte City Council on December 19.

Moore & Van Allen Head of Derivatives Ed Ivey was quoted in the IFLR article titled, “Synthetic Libor vs. Libor Act: troubles ahead” which was published December 20.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Senior Counsel Sarah Byrne was profiled for her work at the intersection of financial institution regulation and the fight against human trafficking in the Tech For Good section of Vital4’s December newsletter. Vital4 is a leader in providing global data for corporate risk and compliance.

Moore & Van Allen is excited to announce the 25th anniversary of our Charleston office. As proud members of the Charleston community for over two decades, we have built upon a commitment to growth and entrepreneurial spirit. For the past 25 years, we have provided a broad spectrum of advice, counsel, and local insight to businesses and individuals who call the Charleston region home.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that Jules W. Carter, an attorney in the firm’s Charlotte office, has been named to the 2022 Lawyers of Color Annual Hot List of early- to mid-career attorneys excelling in the legal profession. Lawyers of Color is a nonprofit devoted to promoting diversity in the legal profession and advancing democracy and equality in marginalized communities.

On Monday, November 28, Charlotte City Council approved a land swap between CRVA and Millennium Capital to swap a portion of 501 S. Caldwell St. for a portion of 401 S. College St which exchange will allow for the addition of a hotel next to the convention center.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) represented Flywheel Group, a local development company led by Tony Kuhn, during the recent purchase of parcels at Yadkin Avenue and E. 35th Street. This transaction, which was handled by Commercial Real Estate Associate Holly Bannerman, Counsel Robert Allen and Paralegal Alyssa McLean, was highlighted in the Charlotte Observer article titled, “Parking in NoDa’s already a hassle. A local developer just bought a parking lot there.”

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Corporate Associate Cowden Rayburn was recognized by The MVA Public Service Committee for his contributions within the community and his outstanding commitment to service. Cowden has been helpful in presenting to the Boost Pad cohort over the past several months.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Litigation Associate Precious McLaughlin served as a guest speaker for a Southern Politics class at Francis Marion University in Florence, SC on Monday, November 21.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Bankruptcy & Restructuring Member Hillary Crabtree has been invited to speak on a panel discussing Subchapter V of the Bankruptcy Code (governing small business reorganizations in chapter 11) at the annual Caribbean Insolvency Symposium presented by the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI), the nation’s largest association of insolvency professionals. Hillary’s co-panelists include a prominent bankruptcy judge from the Southern District of Florida, and other leading bankruptcy practitioners. 

The MVA Black Attorney Resource Group (BARG) recently hosted a Black Professionals Networking Mixer to connect and re-connect with Black Professionals across the Charlotte community. Over 30 guests gathered for the event at the Grand Bohemian for cocktails and conversations among attendees.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that the firm received national rankings for seven practice areas in the 2023 edition of U.S. News – Best Lawyers® "Best Law Firms." In addition, the firm garnered 39 Tier 1 rankings among its 53 metropolitan rankings for multiple practices.

MVA is pleased to formally announce the naming of its Civil Rights & Racial Equity Assessments Practice dedicated to conducting public-facing racial equity and other civil rights audits and related confidential, privileged assessments for entities in this evolving arena.

MVA Corporate Associate Tyler Carpenter was recipient of the October Pro Bono Monthly Award by the MVA Public Service Committee for his contributions within the community and his outstanding commitment to service. MVA recently launched its newest pro bono project called the Charlotte Legal Initiative to Mobilize Businesses (CLIMB) which offers transactional legal services to entrepreneurs and small businesses in historically under-resourced communities of Charlotte, especially BIPOC, female, LGBTQ+, veteran, and disabled entrepreneurs. In addition to providing direct legal services, CLIMB offers legal education seminars to its community referral partners that includes the Boost Pad small business incubator.  

Moore & Van Allen Member Ed O’Keefe and Senior Counsel John Stoker were quoted in the Global Data Review on October 19 titled, “CFPB lawsuit could limit regulatory power over algorithms”.  The article discusses how a lawsuit challenging the CFPB’s recent broad-ranging approach to claims and reviews of discrimination could whittle the agency’s focus on algorithms leveraged for financial products.

Moore & Van Allen’s client CCP Capital Strategies, a private equity investment firm, and its newly formed CCP affiliate has acquired 100 percent of the equity of Wireless Maritime Services, LLC (“WMS”) from AT&T and Anuvu on October 17.  The primary MVA attorneys assisting in the representation of CCP Capital Strategies on this matter were Members John Evans and Brian Mesibov and Associates Zach Ainsztein, Kathy Clark, Samuel Gilleran, and Natalie Hilmandolar.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that the Charlotte Triage Pro Bono Partnership (Charlotte Triage) — developed to expand pro bono services for low-income Charlotte residents — marked its fourth anniversary with CLE training sessions attended by 272 legal and other professionals who learned about Charlotte Triage and participated in training to assist pro bono- clients.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) is pleased to announce that it has been ranked as a “highly recommended” firm for Dispute Resolution and a “recommended” firm for Labor & Employment in North Carolina in the 2023 edition of Benchmark Litigation. This is the 14th consecutive year in which MVA has earned Benchmark recognitions.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Co-head of Litigation and White Collar, Regulatory Defense & Investigations John Fagg was named to Lawdragon’s list of the nation’s “500 Leading Litigators in America.”

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Litigation Member Jim McLoughlin was named to Lawdragon’s list of the nation’s “500 Leading Litigators in America.”

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that Sarah Dohoney Byrne, senior counsel in the firm’s Charlotte office and leader of MVA’s Human Trafficking Prevention & Compliance practice, has been named to The American Lawyer magazine’s 2022 list of South Trailblazers.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Firm Chair & Managing Partner Tom Mitchell was quoted in the Charlotte Business Journal article titled, “Return to Office? How Cushman, Crescent and other local employers are meeting challenges, opportunities of workplace changes” which was published on September 23. 

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Financial Regulatory Advice & Response Senior Counsel Sarah Byrne was engaged by the United Nations University Centre for Policy Research and the Finance Against Slavery and Trafficking (FAST) Initiative to provide a review and recommendations for the Survivor Inclusion Initiative. The results of that project were released in “Lessons from the Survivor Inclusion Initiative (SII) in the UK, US, and Canada.” The SII is a financial access project launched in September 2019 in the UK, US, and Canada by the Finance Against Slavery and Trafficking (FAST) Initiative. It is a global financial sector initiative intended to provide support and remedy to survivors of human trafficking.

Congratulations to the following 25 Moore & Van Allen attorneys who have completed 50 or more hours of pro bono legal services in 2021 and are members of the 2021 NC Pro Bono Honor Society.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Litigation Associate Sarah Sheridan served as a guest speaker for a virtual panel to a group of 1L Duke Law students on September 9. Sarah discussed values-driven decision-making, which is a new program designed to help 1L students inventory their core values and make decisions both inside and outside the classroom that are aligned with their values.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) has been ranked at number one on the Triad Business Journal’s Largest N.C. Metro-Area Law Firms list published September 9. MVA is number one with 339 attorneys. Information on The List was supplied by individual firms through questionnaires, emails and phone calls and could not be independently verified by Triad Business Journal.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) is pleased to announce that the following individuals have been ranked in the 32nd edition of IFLR1000 United States. MVA chairman Tom Mitchell was rated as a “highly regarded” banking & finance lawyer in North Carolina, and member Steve Hope was rated as a “highly regarded” M&A lawyer in North Carolina. Member Carolyn Meade was rated as a “notable practitioner” M&A lawyer in North Carolina and counsel Ed Ivey was rated as a “rising star” capital markets: derivatives and capital markets: structured finance and securitisation.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Financial Regulatory Advice & Response Associate John Lightbourne has been named to The National Law Journal’s 2022 list of Cryptocurrency/Blockchain/Fintech Trailblazers. The National Law Journal’s Trailblazers supplements recognizes professionals who have moved the needle in the legal industry. The legal professionals on this list have made significant contributions in the cryptocurrency, blockchain and fintech industries.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Corporate Member Carolyn Meade provided deal advisory services and legal representation of FranDevCo in the transaction partnership with ABACO, a premier lower middle market private equity firm led by Michael Abdy, with backing from Noah Lowy of the Lowy Family Group. Additionally, MVA Tax Consultant Laura Gray provided tax advice on the transaction.

We at Moore & Van Allen grieve the loss of our friend and partner Ronald S. Melamed, who passed away on August 4, 2022, after living for seven years with pancreatic cancer. Ron carried on with grace and humor. He will be remembered for his inexhaustible spirit and his unwavering positivity in the face of adversity. In this, as in many things, Ron was an example to us all.

The American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI), the nation’s largest association of insolvency professionals, has appointed MVA Bankruptcy & Restructuring Member Luis Lluberas to serve on the Advisory Board for ABI’s annual Caribbean Insolvency Symposium (CIS). The CIS is a longstanding, broadly publicized conference featuring prominent restructuring professionals and judges, focusing on national insolvency issues as well as issues specific to the Caribbean region. The CIS, which alternates yearly between Puerto Rico and Grand Cayman, will take place February 6 – 8, 2023 at the Westin Grand Cayman.  For more information, please visit:  https://www.abi.org/caribbean-insolvency-symposium-7

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Employment & Labor Member John Zaloom was quoted in the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) article titled, “Distinctions Among Class, Collective and Representative Actions Make a Difference” which was published on August 23.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce the arrival of Julianne Farnsworth as counsel and a member of the firm’s Litigation Group, based in the Charleston office. Prior to joining MVA, Farnsworth was the owner of Farnsworth Law Firm LLC and a partner at McNair Law Firm.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America© has listed 104 MVA attorneys who were highly recommended by their peers. In addition, 11 firm attorneys were named Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” and 34 MVA attorneys were selected as Best Lawyers® “Ones to Watch.”

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Co-head of Privacy & Data Security Member Karin McGinnis and Financial Regulatory Advice & Response Counsel Jonathan Prytherch were interviewed for the Citywire article titled, “How advisors should prepare for new cybersecurity rules” which was published on August 18.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce the arrival of Tracey Easton as senior counsel and a member of the firm’s Commercial Real Estate (CRE) group, based in the Charleston office.

MVA Public Affairs Counsel Leslie Pedernales and Intellectual Property Counsel Ellen Andelman served as presenters for the ACC CLE titled, “Advertising, Copyright, Trademark and Avoiding Trouble,” which was held on August 4. Approximately 95 attendees joined for the discussion on how to spot issues in their marketing team’s efforts, and ultimately help them get to “yes” for the exciting creative they are developing for your company. 

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) has again been ranked as a top legal adviser on syndicated loans. The firm's Finance team ranked in the top tier of Refinitiv Loan Pricing Corporation’s (LPC) first half of 2022 U.S. Law Firm League Tables for representing Lead Arrangers on syndicated loan transactions. For the first half of this year, MVA has advised on 80 syndicated loan transactions, which generated over $61 billion in aggregate gross proceeds and earned the firm a second place position on the league table for all syndicated loans based on number of deals. As further evidence of MVA's ongoing distinction in the secured/leveraged lending market, MVA advised on 40 syndicated leveraged loan transactions, which generated more than $21 billion in aggregate gross proceeds, earning the firm a second place position on the league table specifically for syndicated leveraged loans based on number of deals.

MVA Co-head of White Collar, Regulatory Defense & Investigations Valecia McDowell and Litigation Associate Elena Mitchell were quoted in a Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) article titled, “Equity Audits Address Racism in the Workplace,” which was published on August 9.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) has been recognized by IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals, a unique guide that identifies the top patent professionals in key jurisdictions around the globe. MVA members Kate Cole, Jeffrey Gray, Chris Knors, Dick Lupo, Kevin Ransom, Nick Russell, Peter Steward, Todd Taylor, Henry Ward and Mark Wilson were listed as recommended attorneys in their respective practice areas.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that MVA attorneys Charles M. Jordan, Jr. and David B. Wheeler have been named to Charleston Business Magazine’s 2022 Legal Elite listing of top attorneys in the region as recognized by their peers.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce a major victory for its client, retired Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation CEO Bill Lovette, in a high-profile federal criminal antitrust case brought by the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division alleging a multi-year conspiracy to rig bids and fix prices in the national broiler chicken market in violation of the Sherman Act. 

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that MVA Member Frank E. Schall has been recognized by Benchmark Litigation as among the leading litigators in the United States age 40 and under.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) attorneys John Fagg, Frank Schall, Jim McLoughlin, Kaitlin Price, Catherine Prater and Fielding Huseth were named American Lawyer’s Runners Up for Litigators of the Week for having represented their client who went to trial for a third time on criminal antitrust charges in federal court in Denver.

Moore & Van Allen’s (MVA) Head of Wealth and Estate Planning Member Chris Jones and MVA’s Private Wealth Practice has been recognized in the 2022 Chambers High Net Worth directory.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) welcomes Barrett Morris to our Swaps, Derivatives and Structured Products group. Barrett has over seven years of experience working at Wall Street and other large US banks, and brings that experience to provide legal guidance on OTC and exchange trades swaps, options, futures and other derivatives, including related guidance on debt and capital market activities. Barrett leverages his past in-house and compliance experiences to strategically advise clients through regulatory investigations and exams. 

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Co-head of White Collar, Regulatory Defense & Investigations Valecia McDowell has been invited to serve as a member of the Duke University Law School’s Board of Visitors for the 2022-2025 term. 

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Co-head of Litigation Mark Nebrig successfully represented four PDQ executives in achieving dismissal of an ESOP shareholder class action suit. Nebrig was quoted in the recent Law360 article titled, “PDQ Execs Beat Worker Suit Over $12M Kwik Trip Sale Profits,” "Decisions like these from our federal judges, coupled with Congress' current legislative effort with the RISE and SHINE Act, go a long way in promoting ESOPs and the benefits of employee ownership.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Financial Regulatory Advice & Response Co-head Neil Bloomfield and Senior Counsel John Stoker served as panelists for the Strafford live webinar “Attorney-Client Privilege and Bank Examination Privilege for Financial Institutions” which took place June 28. 

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Co-Head of White Collar, Regulatory Defense & Investigations Valecia McDowell and Litigation Associate Elena Mitchell were featured in Episode 78 of The Financial Executive Podcast. The episode is entitled “Auditing a Company’s Civil Rights Record” and aired on June 22.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Public Affairs Counsel Leslie Pedernales was a featured speaker on Media and Advertising Law during a Marketing Legal Training Seminar for Apex Tool Group (ATG) that was held on June 28.  The training provided ATG’s Global team an overview of the legal issues to be on the lookout for as they design, develop, and implement ATG’s marketing strategies.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) Member and Co-head of Financial Restructuring Zach Smith has been elected to the Arts+ Board of Directors, Class of 2023.  Arts+ is a well-known non-profit organization working to promote the transformative impact of arts education in every corner of the Charlotte region. 

Moore & Van Allen was presented with the “City Builders Award” from Charlotte Center City Partners at the 2022 Vision Awards on May 26. The firm was selected based on our work on the Center City Small Business Innovation Fund in which Tom Mitchell is a funding committee member. This award recognizes individuals and organizations that exemplify remarkable vision and make a difference in the City’s ongoing transformation. This initiative was designed to spur and support innovation by Charlotte’s small businesses as they adapt to the new economic realities caused by COVID-19. As a key partner for this program, Tom was able to accept the award on behalf of Moore & Van Allen.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) will serve as an Opening Reception Sponsor for the 27th Annual American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI) Southeast Bankruptcy Workshop taking place in Amelia Island, Florida from July 21-24. MVA Financial Restructuring Counsel Reid Dyer serves as an advisory board member for this year’s event. 

MVA celebrated its longstanding commitment to public service by hosting the 21st Annual Sally & Bill Van Allen Public Service Award luncheon presentation on June 8. This annual event serves as an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our employees and community partners who are making significant service contributions.

Moore & Van Allen (MVA) White Collar, Regulatory Defense & Investigations Member Frank Schall was profiled in the Law360 article, “Rising Star: Moore & Van Allen's Frank Schall” which was published June 14.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that Member Frank E. Schall has been selected as one of Law360's 2022 “Rising Stars” in the White Collar category.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that two firm practice areas and six MVA attorneys are recommended in the 2022 edition of the Legal 500 United States legal industry referral guide.