Heather W. Culp
Essex Richards PA | Charlotte
“My favorite movie genre is thriller. A good thriller is a great escape, and Hitchcock’s are among the best.”
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Vita: 43, born in Killeen, Texas; bachelor’s from Miami University (Ohio) and law degree from the University of Kentucky. Married with two stepchildren and three Labrador retrievers.
Why she chose to specialize in this field: When I moved from Lexington, Ky., to Charlotte in 2002, Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee Rick Mitchell, a partner in the firm that hired me to join its civil litigation practice, gave me the opportunity to help with his bankruptcy work. Over the last 15 years, the majority of [my] work has transitioned to consumer bankruptcy. Bad things can happen to good people, and it feels great to help people and families put a financial mess behind them and look forward to better days.
Memorable case: When I was a law clerk and young attorney in Kentucky, I was privileged to be a tiny part of a mass tort team that handled high-profile litigation, including wrongful-death and personal-injury class actions arising from the Oklahoma City bombing. The bombing occurred in the spring of 1995, my first year of law school.
What she’d be if not a lawyer: An event planner or a headhunter. I enjoy connecting people.
Favorite place: Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., during the spring and fall thoroughbred-racing meets, and Hilton Head Island. Happy family memories at both places.
Recent reading: My favorite book [I read last year] is The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown.
Netflix obsession: Making a Murderer.
Passions: Watching college and NFL football; March Madness; my Kentucky Wildcats; reading good contemporary fiction; my friends, family and Labs.
Don’t ask her to: Ride a steep escalator or wear a dress.
2017 Bankruptcy winners:
Heather W. Culp, Essex Richards PA, Charlotte; Shelley Koon Abel, Rayburn Cooper & Durham PA, Charlotte; Rayford K. “Trip” Adams III, Spilman Thomas & Battle PLLC, Winston-Salem; Lou Agosto, Wells Fargo & Co., Charlotte; Brian R. Anderson, Nexsen Pruet LLC, Greensboro; James B. Angell, Howard, Stallings, From, Hutson, Atkins, Angell & Davis PA, Raleigh; David R. Badger, David R. Badger PA, Charlotte; June L. Basden, Carruthers & Roth PA, Greensboro; William E. Brewer Jr., The Brewer Law Firm, Raleigh; Nicholas C. Brown, Howard, Stallings, From, Hutson, Atkins, Angell & Davis PA, Raleigh; Algernon L. Butler, Butler & Butler LLP , Wilmington; James Oliver “Jimmy” Carter, Carter and Carter PA, Wilmington; Robert A. Cox Jr., Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP, Charlotte; Damon Duncan, Duncan Law LLP, Greensboro; Paul A. Fanning, Ward and Smith PA, Greenville; Adam Mark Gottsegen, Nicholls & Crampton PA, Raleigh; Joseph W. Grier III, Grier Furr & Crisp PA, Charlotte; David W. Hands, Hands Law Office PLLC, Charlotte; James H. Henderson, The Henderson Law Firm, Charlotte; Jason L. Hendren, Hendren, Redwine & Malone PLLC, Raleigh; A. Lee
Hogewood III, K&L Gates LLP, Raleigh; Andrew T. Houston, Moon Wright & Houston PLLC, Charlotte; Charles M. Ivey III, Ivey, McClellan, Gatton & Siegmund LLP, Greensboro; William P. Janvier, Janvier Law Firm PLLC, Raleigh; R. Keith Johnson, R. Keith Johnson PA, Stanley; J. Trevor Johnston, McGuireWoods LLP, Charlotte; Rod Kight, Kight Law, Asheville; Jennifer Adams Ledford, Higgins Benjamin PLLC, Greensboro; R. Bradford “Brad” Leggett, Allman Spry, Winston-Salem; Jack Miller, Rayburn Cooper & Durham PA, Charlotte; Kristen Price Miller, Poyner Spruill LLP, Rocky Mount; Kristin Decker Ogburn, Horack, Talley, Pharr & Lowndes PA , Charlotte; Jeffrey E. Oleynik, Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP, Greensboro; George Mason Oliver, Oliver & Cheek PLLC, New Bern; Jeanne Ann Pennebaker, RTS Law Group, Charlotte; Walter W. “Wrennie” Pitt Jr., Bell, Davis & Pitt PA, Winston-Salem; Robert M. Pitts, Pitts, Hay & Hugenschmidt PA, Asheville; Rebecca F. Redwine, Hendren, Redwine & Malone PLLC, Raleigh; Ashley S. Rusher, Blanco Tackabery, Winston-Salem; George F. Sanderson III, Ellis & Winters LLP, Raleigh; Travis Sasser, Sasser Law Firm, Cary; Caroline Wannamaker Sink, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson PA, Charlotte; John H. Small, Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP, Greensboro; Richard D. Sparkman, Richard D. Sparkman and Associates PA, Angier; Lisa P. Sumner, Poyner Spruill LLP, Raleigh; Andrew W.J. Tarr, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson PA, Charlotte; Glenn Thompson, Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin PLLC, Charlotte; Jill C. Walters, Poyner Spruill LLP, Raleigh; Margaret R. Westbrook, K&L Gates LLP, Raleigh