R. William "Bill" Metzger, Jr.

Bill practices primarily in the areas of corporate and commercial workouts, bankruptcy and real estate transactions. He is a Certified Specialist in Bankruptcy and Debtor-Creditor Law by the SC Supreme Court and primarily represents creditors and other parties in real estate development, asset-based financing and other commercial workout and bankruptcy matters. Because of his transactional, commercial finance and real estate background, he has extensive experience representing purchasers of assets in bankruptcy cases and all types of commercial loan workouts, including note sales and acquisitions. He also has significant experience in representing landlords in commercial retail bankruptcies.

Bill’s commercial finance experience includes working with financial institutions and lenders on loans to a variety of different industries. He regularly represents buyers and sellers in the acquisition/sale of corporate businesses and commercial real estate developments. He has experience representing commercial real estate developers in the development of retail shopping centers, movie theaters, hotels, residential developments, golf courses and franchise operations. He has served as general counsel to several national and regional lending institutions as well as approved USDA and SBA lenders and has experience in economic incentives, job development credits and other tax incentives for businesses in South Carolina. His corporate experience includes all aspects of corporate formation and planning, acquisitions and dissolutions.

Bill also serves as a mediator in commercial and bankruptcy matters, having completed specific bankruptcy mediation training through the American Bankruptcy Institute, and being a Certified Mediator in state and federal courts.

Bringing all these practice areas together, Bill is consistently engaged in complex workouts and has recently been appointed as a Chapter 11 Trustee, Plan Administrator and Trustee of a Liquidating Trust in several significant and complex commercial real estate bankruptcy cases.

ADMISSIONS

• South Carolina Bar
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of South Carolina
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina

EDUCATION

• University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D. (1989)
• University of South Carolina, M.B.A, summa cum laude (1989)
• Washington and Lee University, B.A. in Economics, cum laude (1985)

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

• American Bar Association
• Richland County Bar Association
• South Carolina Bar
• American Bankruptcy Institute
• Meritas - Board of Directors (2015-present), Chair, U.S. Leadership Committee (2015-present), Chairman, Creditors Rights and Bankruptcy Section, Vice-Chairman, Executive Committee (2003-2005)
• South Carolina Bankruptcy Law Association - President (1996-1997)
• Supreme Court of South Carolina Certified Mediator
• Supreme Court of South Carolina Certified Specialist in Bankruptcy and Debtor-Creditor Law - Specialization Advisory Board (2001-2003, 2016-present)
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of South Carolina - Local Rule Advisory Committee

HONORS & AWARDS

• Best Lawyers in America - Banking and Finance Law (2010-2020), Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law (2010-2020), Business Organizations, including LLCs and Partnerships (2010-2020), Lawyer of the Year - Banking and Finance Law (2019)
• South Carolina “Super Lawyer” - Creditor Debtor Rights (2008-2018), Business/Corporate (2008-2017), Real Estate (2008-2017)
• Columbia Business Monthly Legal Elite of the Midlands - Bankruptcy, Creditor's Rights (2019)

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

• Central South Carolina Alliance - Committee of 100
• Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce
• Shandon United Methodist Church - Chair, Board of Trustees and Administrative Board
• South Carolina Chamber of Commerce
• South Carolina Economic Development Association