Cole Hayes

COLE is the founder of Hayes Law in Charlotte, N.C., and represents every constituency and stakeholder affected by bankruptcy filings under all chapters of the Bankruptcy Code, including debtors, equity-holders, creditors, committees and trustees. In addition, he is a panel trustee in the Western District of North Carolina for cases filed under chapters 7, 11 (subchapter V) and 12 of the Bankruptcy Code. His clients range from corporate chapter 11 debtors, secured creditors, committees and personal-injury claimants to farmers and victims of fraud. Prior to entering private practice, he clerked for Hon. Paul M. Newby, now Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina, as well as for Hon. J. Craig Whitley of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of North Carolina.

Cole is certified in both business and consumer bankruptcy law by the State of North Carolina, and he is a frequent speaker on such topics as bankruptcy litigation and liquidating atypical assets in bankruptcy cases. He is a member of the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees and ABI. He is listed as a North Carolina Legal Elite. For the past three years, he has served on the Western District of North Carolina Bankruptcy Seminar Planning Committee, mostly recently as co-chair. In that capacity, he helped organize annual educational programs for more than 100 bankruptcy attorneys, their staff and the court staff. He also is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Bankruptcy Council, which meets regularly to discuss and act on emerging issues, proposed ethics opinions, legislation and continuing education events. He recently served on a subcommittee to review and advise the North Carolina General Assembly on amendments to the Uniform Commercial Code for Emerging Technologies and Digital Assets.

Cole volunteers his time with the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy and programs through the North Carolina Bar Association, including 4All – Lawyers on Call and efforts to assist those impacted by Hurricane Helene. Outside of bankruptcy, he is an advocate for preserving and expanding our National Parks and protecting the grizzly bear and wolf populations in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.