Harrell & Chambliss LLP, formerly Wilder & Gregory, is a full service minority owned law firm founded in 1982 by the Honorable L. Douglas Wilder, former Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Honorable Roger L. Gregory, Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. The Firm's offices are located in Downtown Richmond and Newport News, Virginia. Harrell & Chambliss attorneys are dedicated to providing the highest caliber of legal services in the areas of corporate and business law, public finance and structured securities finance transactions, contracts and procurement, banking, commercial litigation, insurance defense, personal injury defense, tax law, commercial real estate transactions, municipal law, commercial law, public utilities law, acquisitions, estate planning and administration, eminent domain, administrative/legislative services, administrative law, telecommunications, information technology, foreclosure, creditors' rights and bankruptcy, civil litigation, labor, housing law, education law, employment and personnel matters.
OVERVIEW OF FIRM PRACTICE
PUBLIC FINANCE AND STRUCTURED TRANSACTIONS: Harrell & Chambliss offers extensive experience in public finance and structured finance transactions. In 1991, the Firm was the first African-American owned law firm in Virginia with the distinction of being listed among the municipal bond law firms in The Bond Buyer's Municipal Marketplace (the "Red Book"). Attorneys in the Firm have participated in bond transactions for over $9 billion of tax-exempt and taxable bonds. The Firm provides legal services in connection with structured securities transactions. The Firm has served as co-legal advisor in connection with transactions for the issuance of over $14 billion of multiclass securities.
BANKING: The Firm provides advice and counsel with respect to matters concerning banking regulations (state and federal), employment issues, commercial transactions, creditors' rights and bankruptcy in its general counsel representation of a full service bank in Richmond and other representation of financial institutions.
CORPORATE/BUSINESS and TAX: Business services include consulting with clients concerning organizational structure, drafting and revising articles of incorporation and bylaws, advising corporations on duties and liabilities of directors and officers, preparation of documents relating to Subchapter S election, stock subscriptions and shareholder agreements and other matters relating to business operations, negotiation of contracts and sale of a business. The tax practice of the Firm is made up of a diverse group of clients with interesting and challenging issues and transactions. In many instances, the work performed by the Firm's tax practice is performed concurrently with the services provided in the Business Service area, the Real Estate Service area and the Public Finance Service area of the Firm.
EDUCATION SERVICES: Attorneys at H&C have extensive experience in providing education legal services in school board and administration matters, contract and procurement transactions, education related litigation, worker's compensation and in numerous other education matters.
COMMERCIAL LITIGATION AND INSURANCE DEFENSE: H&C's trial attorneys have substantial experience in various areas of specialized litigation and routinely appear in Federal and state courts throughout Virginia. The Firm has combined over thirty years of experience in defending auto, general liability and worker's compensation claims. The Firm represents several companies in insurance defense litigation and has previously handled product liability litigation for corporations and other similar types of disputes.
REAL ESTATE: H&C's real estate attorneys have extensive experience in real estate acquisition, development, financing and disposition services on behalf of municipal and business clients. In the Firm's representation of all of its clients, H&C has provided a broad range of real estate law services, including residential and commercial closings and foreclosures, performance of title searches, legal negotiations for the acquisition or sale of properties and preparation of financing instruments and agreements.
EMPLOYMENT LAW: The Firm's attorneys regularly represent corporate clients involved in employment litigation in federal and state courts and advise clients with respect to labor and employment related matters. The firm's practice covers the wide spectrum of labor and employment litigation, arbitration, and administrative practice before the EEOC.
ADMINISTRATIVE/LEGISLATIVE: Clients frequently call upon H&C to advise them with regard to the Freedom of Information Act, Conflicts of Interest Act, Administrative Process Act, Privacy Protection Act and Virginia Public Procurement Act as well as federal and state laws relating to real estate and employment.
CREDITORS' RIGHTS, BANKRUPTCY AND FORECLOSURES: As counsel to our financial institution and public sector clients, H&C represents them in matters pertaining to Creditors' Rights and Bankruptcy and Foreclosures. The Firm has extensive experience in loan workouts under various loan programs and in conducting non-judicial foreclosures for numerous financial institutions.
TELECOMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: Our attorneys have advised clients with respect to open access and internet service matters. The Firm's attorneys have experience in drafting and negotiating computer contracts for the purchase or sale of hardware, software and other services incident thereto.
