I began my legal career while still in law school, working under North Carolina's two year practice rule which allows law students to practice law under the guidance of an attorney. I worked at the firm of Narron, O'Hale and Whittington in Smithfield, NC in the areas of criminal law, appellate work, taxation and business law. Upon graduation from law school, I stayed on with the firm as an associate until 2000. In 2000, I joined the US Bankrutpcy Administrator's Office in Raleigh, NC. I served as Senior Staff Attorney there for eight years representing the Bankruptcy Administrator in bankruptcies filed throughout the Eastern District during that time. This gave me the opportunity to work solely in bankruptcy unlike many private practice attorneys who must work in other areas to support their practice. At last count, I had participated in approximately 240 Chapter 11 proceedings and just under 400 bankruptcy proceedings. I am a board certified specialist in business and consumer bankruptcy law. I now represent both debtors and creditors before the bankruptcy court and am frequently called on to represent unsecured creditors' committees as well. I am proud to say that I have a good reputation among the bankruptcy bar and I am active in that community. I usually asked to speak on the topic of bankruptcy to fellow lawyers at least once a year and I have served as chairman of a committee on the Bankruptcy Counsel of the North Carolina Bar Association.