Robert Chappell’s practice focuses on loan workouts and restructurings, commercial bankruptcy, bankruptcy litigation, creditors’ rights and business. He represents lenders in all facets of commercial credit transactions from origination to workout and recovery. Recently, he represented secured lenders in complex secured loan restructurings, a Chapter 7 Trustee in the liquidation of claims against the insiders, asset purchasers in complex bankruptcies, debtors in Chapter 11 cases selling real properties, helped restructure the finances of a continuing-care-retirement-community and assisted in the resolution of major credit issues involving real estate developments, condominium developments, title litigation, hotels, and golf courses. He also provides counsel to local businesses, with a focus on community banks.
Following law school, Robert served as a law clerk to the Honorable Hal J. Bonney, Jr., a United States Bankruptcy Court Judge in Norfolk, Virginia. Robert is a Director of Froehling & Robertson, Incorporated. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Richmond Bar Association and is a past Chair of the Bankruptcy Section of the Richmond Bar Association. He volunteers his time for various local charities and pro bono matters.
Education
Education
The College of William and Mary, Marshall-Wythe School of Law, Williamsburg, Virginia (J.D.)
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (B.A., English and History)
Bar Admissions
Bar Admissions
Virginia
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Virginia
U.S. District Court Western District of Virginia
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Western District of Virginia
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Eastern District of Virginia
U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit
Clerkships
Clerkships
Hon. Hal J. Bonney, Jr., U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge, Norfolk, Virginia, Law Clerk
Representative Experience
Representative Experience
Counsel to a Chapter 7 Trustee of a chain of health clubs in the liquidation of claims against insiders of the debtor.
Counsel to regional lender in successfully restructuring a $20.5 million commercial loan secured by medical facility.
Counsel to a Debtor-in-Possession lender to a regional oil and gas pipeline construction company.
Represented group of EB-1 visa holders in bankruptcy of automobile manufacturing company.
Co-counsel to Unsecured Creditors Committee for oil and gas company Penn Virginia Corporation and affiliates in successful restructuring of debt through confirmed plan of reorganization in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding. See In re Penn Virginia Corporation, et al. (Bankr. E.D. Va. 2016), Case # 16-32395-KLP.
Co-counsel to a coal company purchasing material assets of Patriot Coal and affiliated entities in debt refinance transaction through confirmed plan of reorganization in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding. See In re Patriot Coal Corp., et al. (Bankr. E.D. Va. 2015), Case # 15-32450-KLP.
Counsel to affiliated Chapter 11 debtors selling 29 apartment buildings through section 363 bankruptcy sale process to purchaser for $37.3 million. See In re River City Renaissance, LC, et al. (Bankr. E.D. Va. 2014), Case #14-34080-KLP.
Co-counsel to a coal company purchasing material assets of James River Coal and affiliated entities in $50,000,000.00 section 363 sale transaction in bankruptcy proceeding. See In re James River Coal Co., et al. (Bankr. E.D. Va. 2014), Case # 14-31848-KRH.
Counsel to sponsoring entity whose wholly owned subsidiary, a continuing care retirement community, successfully restructured $133,000,000 of existing debt to $85,725,000 in reissued debt through a 91-day, prepackaged Chapter 11 proceeding.
Counsel to lead lender of $19,000,000 participated loan secured by hotel property, obtaining out-of-court workout/recovery.
Representative Cases
Representative Cases
In re ClubX, LLC, 2024 Bankr. LEXIS 3038 (U.S. Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Va. 2024)
Koropey v. Penn. Virginia Corp., 574 B.R. 78 (U.S. Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Va. 2017)
Parker v. N.C. Agric. Fin. Auth., 341 B.R. 547 (U.S. District Court E.D. Va. 2006)
In re Ahearn, 318 B.R. 638 (U.S. Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Va. 2003)
In re Herndon, 218 B.R. 821 (U.S. Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Va. 1998)
Honors and Awards
Honors and Awards
Chambers USA 2024, 2025 forBankruptcy / Restructuring
Best Lawyers in America, Lawyer of the Year 2021 for Bankruptcy Litigation in Richmond, Virginia
Best Lawyers in America 2011-2026 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation: Bankruptcy, Richmond, Virginia
Virginia Super Lawyers 2008-2025 for Bankruptcy: Business
Virginia Business magazine's Legal Elite 2019-2024 for Bankruptcy Creditors Rights
Professional Associations and Memberships
Professional Associations and Memberships
American Bankruptcy Institute
Virginia Bar Association
Virginia Creditors Bar Association
Virginia State Bar
Bar Association of the City of Richmond, Member, Board of Directors, 2003-2004
Bar Association of the City of Richmond, Chair, Bankruptcy Section, 2003-2004
Classes Seminars Taught
Classes Seminars Taught
Commercial Real Estate Workout and Restructuring Considerations; April 16, 2024, in Blacksburg, Virginia and April 17, 2024, in Richmond, Virginia at the Virginia Bankers Association/Virginia Association of Community Bankers Bank Directors’ Symposium
2024 General Assembly Update; March 12, 2024, in Williamsburg, Virginia at the Virginia Bankers Association Connect|Protect Conference
Collecting Judgments: An Overview of the Virginia Judgment Enforcement Process; October 18, 2018, in Norfolk, Virginia at the 2018 Annual Statewide Legal Aid Conference
What To Do If A Loan Is Going Bad; October 30, 2017, in Charlottesville, Virginia at the Virginia Bankers Association Lending & Credit Conference
Hot Topics in Business Bankruptcy Law Seminar, March 21, 2014, in Fairfax, Virginia. Robert spoke on a panel discussing Issues and Strategies in Health Care/Continuing Care Retirement Community Bankruptcy Cases
Guide to Revised Article 9 - Changes in the Law of Secured Transactions and Selected Bankruptcy Issues, Atlantic Agricultural Credit Conference, 2003
