Attorneys
Bill is a corporate, transactional and bankruptcy lawyer who has helped clients meet and achieve their goals and objectives for more than 30 years.
Bill leads the Business Team at Robinson Gray and works with all members on a variety of matters, whether ‘front-end’ corporate and commercial transactions or ‘back-end’ workout or bankruptcy transactions. He focuses on complex transactions, developing and implementing strategy to find success for clients. [read more]
On ‘front-end’ corporate and commercial transactions, Bill assists clients through corporate formation and planning, mergers and acquisitions, loan transactions and various other corporate transactions. He has represented clients in a variety of industries, including automobile, aircraft, franchises, boats, recreational vehicles, breweries, racetracks, professional services, environmental services and various manufacturing businesses. Bill often serves as outside ‘general’ counsel for clients in a gatekeeper role, identifying and using the strengths of the law firm to accomplish the client’s objectives. He has a long history of representing lenders and financial institutions in loan transactions, but in recent years has focused most of his practice on owners, developers and entrepreneurs.
On ‘back-end’ workout and bankruptcy matters, Bill has been in the workout, debt restructuring and insolvency arena his entire career. He has significant experience in creditor related matters but has also used his outside ‘general’ counsel position to help corporate and individual clients navigate restructuring through his relationships with debtor counsel. More recently, Bill has been asked to handle more complex situations requiring the use of many of Robinson Gray’s practice areas, either as Trustee, Liquidating Trustee or counsel to such a trustee in bankruptcy matters. He is certified by the South Carolina Supreme Court as a Debtor-Creditor and Bankruptcy Specialist and has, at the request of the South Carolina Supreme Court, sat on the Specialization and Certification Committee multiple times.
Throughout his career, Bill has been consistently recognized by Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers, having been named ‘Lawyer of the Year’ by Best Lawyers three times (2019, 2021 and 2023), and as South Carolina Lawyer’s Weekly “Go To Lawyer” for Business Law in South Carolina (2021). He has also served in numerous leadership roles both inside and outside of Robinson Gray and has extensive relationships with lawyers around the world through a long and extensive leadership role in Meritas, a global affiliation of commercial law firms.
- Represented an owner in the development of a brewery from concept to completion including corporate formation, land acquisition, historic tax credit application, financing and subsequent operations.
- Represented an owner in the acquisition of a motorsports park, including corporate formation, acquisition of additional land, leasing and subsequent operations.
- Represented owners in various industries- residential real estate, medical office buildings/development and shopping center- in negotiations with partners, lenders and other parties resulting in the ultimate satisfaction of the loan or sale of properties.
- Worked with owner and financial advisors on a multi-company restructuring of approximately $60 million in debt involving both debt and corporate reorganizations and multiple financing and sale/leaseback transactions.
- Represented owner in acquisition and subsequent disposition of a chain of fast food restaurants involving loans, acquisition, franchise negotiation and ultimate sale.
- Acted as Liquidating Trustee for a post-confirmation Liquidating Trust in bankruptcy associated with a major piece of environmentally contaminated and undeveloped real property in the heart of a major metropolitan area.
- Represented a lender in $50+ million loans to 3 companies resulting in reorganization, liquidation and ultimate ownership.
- Served as Chapter 11 Trustee for a large individual case assessing and disposing of multiple tracts of developed and undeveloped real estate resulting in payment in full to creditors and a return to the debtor.
- Served as counsel to state-related entity in the Chapter 9 bankruptcy of a public/private partnership that developed an interstate toll road connector.
- Represented several state agencies with respect to loan made to a start-up airline and manufacturing facility for mobile power plants.
- Served as primary South Carolina counsel for national lender in handling their loan workouts, collection, foreclosure and bankruptcy work.
- Served as court appointed fee examiner in large bankruptcy case.
- Represented a Fortune 500 company in the acquisition of assets in a South Carolina bankruptcy case pursuant to 11 U.S.C. §363 in a metal recycling operation.
- Represented the majority of landlords in a complex Chapter 11 reorganization of a national grocery store chain.
- Acted as a mediator in complex commercial and bankruptcy disputes.
- Columbia Business Monthly Legal Elite of the Midlands (2018-2020)
- Meritas “Crusty Crab Award” (2019)
- South Carolina Lawyer’s Weekly “Go To Lawyer” for Business Law in South Carolina (2021)
- Best Lawyers in America
- Banking and Finance Law (2010-2023)
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law (2010-2023)
- Business Organizations, including LLCs and Partnerships (2010-2023)
- Lawyer of the Year, Banking and Finance Law (2019, 2023)
- South Carolina “Super Lawyer”
- Creditor Debtor Rights (2008-2020, 2022)
- Business/Corporate (2008-2017)
- Real Estate (2008-2017)
Professional
- American Bar Association
- Richland County Bar Association
- South Carolina Bar
- American Bankruptcy Institute
- Meritas
- Board of Directors (2015-2019)
- Chair, U.S. Leadership Committee (2015-2019)
- Chairman, Creditors Rights and Bankruptcy Section
- Vice-Chairman, Executive Committee (2003-2005)
- South Carolina Bankruptcy Law Association
- President (1996-1997)
- Supreme Court of South Carolina Certified Mediator
- Supreme Court of South Carolina Certified Specialist in Bankruptcy and Debtor-Creditor Law
- Specialization Advisory Board (2001-2003, 2016-present)
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of South Carolina
- Local Rule Advisory Committee
Community
- Central South Carolina Alliance
- Committee of 100
- Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce
- Shandon United Methodist Church
- Chair, Board of Trustees and Administrative Board
- South Carolina Chamber of Commerce
- South Carolina Economic Development Association
Bar Admissions
- South Carolina Bar
Court Admissions
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of South Carolina
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina
Education
- University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D. (1989)
- University of South Carolina, M.B.A, summa cum laude (1989)
- Washington and Lee University, B.A. in Economics, cum laude (1985)