Frank, Deirdre E. Barkley

Heather regularly advises people and small businesses on legal issues relating to finances, with an emphasis on representing and advising high-income, professional, and/or self-employed individuals with debt or credit issues. She was the managing partner of Mitchell & Culp, PLLC for six years prior to joining Rawls, Scheer, Foster & Mingo, PLLC in 2012, and firmly believes that this experience gives her valuable insight into, and empathy with, the risks and rewards unique to small business ownership. She works hard to earn the trust and confidence of her clients, who have included debtors, creditors, guarantors, receivers, and bankruptcy trustees.

Heather grew up in Lexington, Kentucky, and began practicing law there in 1997. She first worked as a staff attorney for a circuit court judge, observing criminal and civil hearings and trials and assisting her supervising judge in preparing for court. This terrific opportunity confirmed her desire to be in the courtroom. From 1998 to 2002, she was an associate attorney involved in mass tort and construction defect litigation, regularly traveling to North Carolina between 2000 and 2002 to defend North Carolina general contractors on construction defect claims. Practicing law 400 miles away from home taught her a great deal about being prepared, self-reliant, and unflappable in and out of the courtroom. She ultimately moved to Charlotte and became licensed to practice in North Carolina in 2002.

Since 2002, Heather has practiced primarily in the areas of bankruptcy, debtor/creditor relations, and business disputes. She has handled a wide range of legal matters, regularly helping clients resolve problems in the nature of asset planning and protection, exemption planning, debt relief and debt settlement, personal and business reorganization, guaranties, contracts, foreclosures, and many other disputes pertaining to finances. She has significant experience litigating and otherwise resolving discharge and dischargeability issues that arise in bankruptcy cases, and regularly serves as a substitute trustee in commercial foreclosures in the greater Charlotte area. She finds most rewarding the personal relationships she develops with her clients, working as a team with them to make their goals affordable both financially and emotionally.

A regular and reliable volunteer in the Mecklenburg County Bar and the North Carolina Bar Association, Heather works hard to network with legal professionals throughout the state in order to keep abreast of the latest developments and trends in North Carolina law. She regularly handles pro bono cases for people who would otherwise be unable to afford representation, and frequently speaks to middle and high school students, non-bankruptcy attorneys, and community members about debt and credit education. Though she is a self-described workaholic, Heather does spend time outside of the office with her husband, attorney Chris Culp, his adult children, and their three rescued Labrador retrievers, as well as family and friends. She is an avid reader, NPR listener, and fan of college football and basketball (particularly the University of Kentucky Wildcats).