BIOGRAPHY
Heather has practiced law for over 20 years while focusing on five goals.
Serving clients. Heather represents and advises individuals, married couples, and small businesses in various areas of civil (non-criminal) litigation and in strategies to avoid litigation. Her caseload involves bankruptcy, bankruptcy litigation, debtor/creditor relations, commercial litigation, disputes among businesses and business owners, and other legal issues involving debt, credit, or money owed. She handles asset planning and protection, collections, exemption planning, debt relief and debt settlement, personal and business reorganization, guaranties, contracts, foreclosures, taxpayer relief, and many other disputes pertaining to finances. She also represents and advises consumer bankruptcy attorneys insured by Lawyers Mutual of North Carolina, facing allegations of legal malpractice.
Serving courts. In 2019 Heather was selected and appointed to the Panel of Chapter 7 Trustees for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of North Carolina. Chapter 7 trustees administer chapter 7 bankruptcy cases. She also serves as a court-appointed receiver and court-appointed attorney for bankruptcy trustees. Since approximately 2008 she has regularly served as substitute trustee in commercial foreclosures in the greater Charlotte area. She advises and represents court-appointed receivers.
Serving the profession. The North Carolina State Bar appointed Heather to two three-year term on the Board of Trustees for the North Carolina State Bar Plan for Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA), a source of grant funding for the provision of civil legal services to the poor (2019-2022, 2023-2025) and she currently serves as the board’s vice chair (2022-2024). Heather’s prior bar association service includes as President of the Mecklenburg County Bar (2017-2018), the largest county bar in North Carolina with over 6000 members.
Providing free legal services to low-income North Carolinians. Heather volunteers with Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy and Legal Aid of North Carolina, Inc., handling cases for people who would otherwise be unable to afford an attorney. She chaired the 2018-2019 Access to Justice Campaign, which raised $500,000 in unrestricted funds to benefit these two pro bono agencies. The North Carolina Bar Association’s Bankruptcy Council awarded her its 2020 Pro Bono Service Award.
Educating lawyers and the community. Since 2008, Heather has planned, moderated, and/or spoken at more than 55 seminars, conferences, podcasts, and meetings, on topics that include legal practice areas, legal ethics, amendments to court rules, introducing and getting to know new judges, and leadership techniques.
Heather’s husband, Chris, is also an attorney. Over the years they have adopted a total of eight Labrador Retrievers from local rescue organizations (the three most recent are pictured below).
We are a debt relief agency helping people file for bankruptcy relief under the United States Bankruptcy Code.
EDUCATION
- University of Kentucky College of Law (Lexington, Kentucky), J.D., 1997
- Miami University (Oxford, Ohio), B.A. in English Literature, Cum Laude, 1994
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
- Co-Speaker: “Consumer Bankruptcy Hot Topics,” North Carolina Bar Association’s 45th Annual Bankruptcy Institute 11/10/22-11/11/22
- Program planner, “Lessons Learned the Murdaugh Way,” Mecklenburg County Bar 2/17/22
- Podcast: Protecting Your Finances During COVID-19, 8/20/21
- "Does My Student Loan Debt Go Away After Bankruptcy," Super Lawyers, 6/10/21
- Co-Speaker: "Case Studies: Bankruptcy & Family Law, "Mecklenburg County Bar's Western Bankruptcy Seminar, 5/21/21
- Speaker: "Helping North Carolina Nonprofits and their Clients Navigate COVID-19," The North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center, 3/10/21
- Guest: "Fraud Fighter Podcast," 2/22/21
- Guest: "The Human Lawyer Podcast," 12/8/20
- Co-speaker, "Best Practices for Managing Debtor Cases from Beginning to End, "North Carolina Bar Association's 43rd Annual Bankruptcy Institute, 12/10/20
- Co-speaker, “Masters of (Financial) Disaster,” North Carolina Bar Association's Expert Series, September 2020
- Podcast: Protecting Your Finances During COVID-19, 4/14/20
- Panelist, Mecklenburg County Bar’s Bar Leadership Institute session, 3/4/20
- Speaker, “Women in Leadership,” Bank of America’s Power of 10 group in Charlotte, 2/20/20
- Program planner, “A Conversation with Judge Ken Bell,” 12/10/19
- Program planner, “All-Star Trial Advocacy 2019,” 2/1/19
- Program planner, “NC Civil Law Update,” 1/24/19
- Guest speaker on the podcast “Welcome to Splitsville,” Episode: “Divorce, Debt & Bankruptcy with Attorney Heather Culp,” September 2018
- Program planner, “U.S. Supreme Court Update,” 10/2/17
- Program co-planner, “What Would Lincoln Do?,” Annual Meeting, 5/18/17
- Co-Speaker, “Charlotte Legal Career Development: Panel Discussion & Networking Event,” Mecklenburg County Bar, 6/13/17
- Program co-Planner, “All-Star Trial Advocacy,” 10/21/16
- "New Website Puts Pro Bono Work Just A Click Away," North Carolina Lawyers Weekly, 10/25/18.
- "The NC General Assembly Convenes on May 16," Mecklenburg County Bar Newsletter, 5/1/18.
- "Ten Years After the Great Recession: The New Normal (Part 2 of 2)," Mecklenburg County Bar Newsletter, 4/2/18
- "Discharging Individual Income Tax Debt in Bankruptcy," North Carolina Association of Public Accountants Interim Report, March, 2018
- "Ten Years After The Great Recession: The New Normal (Part 1 of 2)," Mecklenburg County Bar Newsletter, 3/1/18
- "We Love Our Affinity Bars," Mecklenburg County Bar Newsletter, 2/1/18
- “‘I Can" Courage in the New Year,” Mecklenburg County Bar Newsletter, 1/2/18
- Co-speaker, “Bankruptcy – Tax Considerations,” NC Association of CPAs State & Local Tax Conference, 12/6/17
- “A Lot and a Building Have Become Our Home,” Mecklenburg County Bar Newsletter, 11/30/17
- “Welcoming Our Newest Members,” Mecklenburg County Bar Newsletter, 11/1/17
- “Silver Linings,” Mecklenburg County Bar Newsletter, 10/2/17
- “An Overview of the MCB’s Work Through 2020,” Mecklenburg County Bar Newsletter, 8/31/17
- “10 Easy Tech Tips for Your Law Practice,” Mecklenburg County Bar Newsletter, 8/1/17
- “Committed to the MCB: What This Means for All of Us,” Mecklenburg County Bar Newsletter, 7/1/17
- “Ten Tips for Starting a Successful Solo Practice or Law Firm,” Lawyers Mutual, 5/17/17
- “Discharging Individual Income Taxes In Bankruptcy: Five Easy Pieces,” Long Leaf Law, 5/4/17
PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION
Recognized by North Carolina Bar's Bankruptcy Section for Outstanding Pro Bono Achievement, 2020.
Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America © 2017-2025 in the area of Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law; 2018-2025 in the area of Litigation – Bankruptcy; 2019-2025 in the area of Commercial Litigation.
Recognized as a North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Leader in the Law honoree, 2018.
Recognized by Thomson Reuters North Carolina Super Lawyers:
- Top 25 Lawyers in Charlotte list, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024.
- Top 50 Women Lawyers in North Carolina list, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024.
- Top 100 Lawyers in North Carolina list, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024.
- Super Lawyers list in consumer bankruptcy, 2015-2024.
- Rising Stars list in debtor/creditor relations, 2011-2013.
Recognized by Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite in the practice area of bankruptcy, 2011-2016; highest vote getter, 2017.
Recognized by Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite in the practice area of business, 2024; highest vote getter, 2024.
Recognized by The North Carolina Equal Access to Justice Commission, N.C. Pro Bono Honor Society Inductee, 2017, 2019.
AV peer-review rated by Martindale-Hubbell, for ethical standards and legal ability.
ASSOCIATIONS & ADMISSIONS
Bar Admissions
- North Carolina, 2002; Kentucky, 1997 (inactive)
- U.S. District Courts—North Carolina: W.D.N.C. (2002), M.D.N.C. (2010), E.D.N.C. (2011)
- U.S. District Courts—Kentucky: E.D.N.C. (1998), W.D.N.C. (2000)
- U.S. Tax Court, 2006
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, 2007
Professional Associations
Access to Justice Campaign benefitting Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy and Legal Aid of North Carolina, Inc. (Campaign Cabinet, 2015-2017; Chair, 2018-2019)
American Bankruptcy Institute
International Women’s Restructuring & Insolvency Confederation
Kentucky Bar Association
Lawyers Mutual of North Carolina Charlotte Community Board (2016-present)
Mecklenburg Bar Foundation
- Ayscue Professionalism Award Committee (2022-2025)
Mecklenburg County Bar
- Minority Lawyer Mentoring Program (Mentor, 2022)
- Executive Committee
- Immediate Past President (2018-2019)
- President (2017-2018)
- President-Elect (2016-2017)
- Vice President (2015-2016)
- Secretary (2013-2015)
- Executive Director Search Committee (2019)
- Nominating Committee (2019-2020; Chair, 2018-2019)
- Board of Directors (2012-2013)
- Diversity & Inclusion Committee (2014-2017)
- Continuing Legal Education Committee (2007-2014; Co-Chair, 2008-2010)
National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (2023-present)
National Conference of Bar Presidents (Fellow)
- Metro Bar Caucus (2023-present)
North Carolina Bar Association (2002-June 2023 resignation)
- Board of Governors (2015-2018); Audit & Finance Committee (2015-2018)
- Bankruptcy Section (Bankruptcy Section Council, 2010-2013; Nominations Committee, 2019)
- Planning Committee, 37th and 38th Annual Bankruptcy Institutes (2014, 2015)
- Co-Managing Editor, NCBA Bankruptcy Practice Manual, 7th (published 2012)
- Nominations Committee (2011, 2012)
- Law-Related Education Advisory Committee (2002-2012; Chair, 2007-2009)
North Carolina Bar Foundation (2002-June 2023 resignation)
- Board of Directors (2015-2018; 2019-2022)
- Programs Committee (Chair, 2019-2022)
- Nominations Committee (2019-2022)
North Carolina State Bar (2002-present)
- Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts Plan, Board of Trustees (2019-2025)
- Executive Committee (2021-2022; Vice Chair, 2022-2024)
- Finance Committee (Chair, 2020-2021)
W.D.N.C. Bankruptcy Bar
- Local Rules Committee (2012-2013 revisions)
- Co-Chair, annual Mecklenburg County Bar W.D.N.C. Bankruptcy Seminar committee (2011)
- Planner, annual Mecklenburg County Bar W.D.N.C. Bankruptcy Seminar (2008, 2009, 2010)
Pauli Murray LGBTQ+ Bar Association
Private Directors Association
- Steering Committee (2023-present)
Volunteer Attorney, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy (2010-present) and Legal Aid of North Carolina, Inc.
- LANC 20th Anniversary Campaign Cabinet (2022)
- 2012 Small Firm Pro Bono Award recipient (Mitchell & Culp, PLLC)
Women Lawyers of Charlotte