Charles R. Ekberg

Shareholder | Seattle | 206.223.7012 | ekbergc@lanepowell.com

Areas of Practice

Chuck Ekberg focuses his practice on business bankruptcies, reorganizations, workouts, creditors remedies, real estate financing and litigation. He has frequently appeared as a speaker at various seminars on bankruptcy practice and has authored numerous articles or papers which have appeared in various publications relating to bankruptcy practice. He is a member of the Business Bankruptcy Subcommittee of the American Bar Association, the American Bankruptcy Institute, and has served four terms on the Executive Committee of the Washington State Bar Association’s Creditor/Debtor Section. He is a former chairperson of the King County Bar Association’s Bankruptcy Section and has also served on local bankruptcy rules committees in both the Western District of Washington and Eastern District of Washington. He is a fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy.

Professional Experience

Lane Powell PC
- Shareholder (1978-Present)
- Associate (1971-1977)

Admitted to Practice

Washington
U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington
U.S. Supreme Court

Academics

University of Washington (J.D., 1971; B.A., with honors, 1968)
- Board of Editors, University of Washington Law Review (1970-1971)
- Research Associate, Professor William H. Rodgers, Jr. (1969)
- Order of the Coif

Practice Group and Specialty Team Memberships

Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights
Financial Institutions
Litigation
Real Estate

Representative Matters and Clients

Co-counsel to Metropolitan Mortgage & Securities Co. Inc., debtor in Chapter 11 case
Counsel to various insurance companies in Catholic Bishop of Spokane Chapter 11 case
Representation of the Official Unsecured Creditors’ Committee in Garden Botanika, Inc.
Representation of Chase Manhattan Bank in Vanguard Electronics, Inc.
Representation of Nordstrom, Inc. in Liberty House, Inc.
Co-counsel for the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in Pay ‘N Pak Stores, Inc.
Representation of General Electric Capital Corporation in TreeSource Industries, Inc. and Quality Veneer and Lumber, Inc.
Representation of receivers in state court matters and in Chapter XI cases
Representation of trustees in Chapter 7, Chapter 11 and Chapter X cases
Representation of Western Farmers Association, debtor in a Chapter 11 case
Representation of CHG International, Inc., debtor in Chapter 11 case
Representation of Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in Inside Sports magazine
Representation of Thomas Hansen as Receiver in Chapter XI case of Northwest Homes of Chehalis, Inc.
Representation of Larry Allison as Chapter X Trustee in “U” District Building Corporation

Publications

Debtor-in-Possession’s Operation of Business
Creditor Concerns Under the 1978 Bankruptcy Reform Act
Confirmation of the Plan of Reorganization in a Chapter 11 Case
Recovering Form of Application and Order to Obtain Financing
Representing the Concerns of the Secured Creditor in Chapter 11 Case
Claims and Creditors Under the New Bankruptcy Rules
Rules Applicable to Chapter 11 Case
Appeals From the Bankruptcy Court
Miscellaneous Rules Governing Bankruptcy Procedure
Right and Obligations of the Debtor in Possession
Practice and Procedure in the Bankruptcy Court: Is There Life After Marathon Disclosure Statements
Practice and Procedure Regarding Relief From Stay Motions
Factual Problems: Bankruptcy Workshop (January 19, 1985)
Structure of a Final Plan (1985)
Liabilities and Concerns of Officers, Directors and Insiders (1985)
Creditor’s Perspectives on a Debtor in Trouble (1985)
Issues Relating to Employment and Compensation of Attorneys in Bankruptcy Case (1986)
The Trustee’s Use of Avoiding Powers (1986)
Rights of Creditors in the Confirmation of the Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization (1986)
The Rights of Creditors in Disclosure Statement Process (1987)
Creditor’s Rights Under the Family Farmer Bankruptcy Act (1987)
)Issues Relating to Employment and Compensation of Attorneys and Other Professionals in Bankruptcy Cases (1988)
Motions for the Appointment of Trustee and Examiners (1988)
Recovery of Creditor’s Attorney’s Fees and Recovery of Attorney’s Fees From Creditors in Bankruptcy Cases (1988)
Treatment of Adequate Protection Payments after Timbers: The Tempest or Much Ado About Nothing? (1989)
Changes in the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure
Lose a Case? Consider the Appeal of Chapter 11 (1990)
Problems Relating to Airline Bankruptcies (1993)
Preferences: Recovery and Defense (1994)
A Functional Analysis of Bankruptcy Law (1995)
Payment of Administrative Expenses: Priorities Among Priorities or Are Some Claims More Equal Than Other Claims? (1996)
Pillotex and Beyond (2003)
Conflicts of Interest in the Retention of Restructuring Professionals (2003)

Awards and Honors

Recommended by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Bankruptcy/Restructuring (2005-2011)
Recognized for his work in bankruptcy law by The Legal 500 United States (2009)
Named as one of The Best Lawyers in America®, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization, Bankruptcy Litigation (1986-2012)
Named as a “Washington Super Lawyer,” Super Lawyers magazine, Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights (2001-2011); also named a “Top 100 Washington Super Lawyer” (2008-2010)
Peer Review Rated “AV” in Martindale-Hubbell

Professional and Community Activities

Fellow, American College of Bankruptcy
American Bar Association
- Member, Business Bankruptcy Committee
- Member, Subcommittee on Bankruptcy Rules
Member, American Bankruptcy Institute
Lawyer Representative, Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference
Bankruptcy Committee, Western District Federal Bar Association
Director, Sigma Tau Association
Former Director, Bainbridge Foundation
Former Director, Hamlin Robinson School
Former Director, University of Washington Law School Foundation