Bio
Abbie Baynes advises businesses concerning corporate finance, commercial loans, contracts, corporate governance, and sales and acquisitions. She has specific industry expertise in the commercial real estate and technology sectors, but advises companies in all industry areas. Abbie has extensive experience representing lenders and other financial institutions in a wide variety of transactions. As well, she advises nonprofit organizations about formation and governance.
Abbie practiced law and worked in business in Washington, D.C., New York and Charlotte for 23 years prior to establishing her own law practice in 2008. Before forming Abbie G. Baynes, PLLC, Abbie was with Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP in Charlotte for several years. There, she advised financial institutions on real estate financing transactions (commercial, conduit and construction loans and defeasances), and worked with businesses on contracts, governance, financing and dissolutions. Before joining Katten, Abbie was in business and in private practice in New York, where she focused on secured and structured financing transactions in the satellite and media sectors as an attorney at Salans, as a lender at Kleinwort Benson, and as a managing director in financing at GE American Communications, a satellite operator (which at that time was a subsidiary of GE Capital).
Prior to moving to New York, Abbie was an attorney in private practice in Washington, D.C., where she advised media and corporate clients in secured financing transactions, restructurings and shareholder disputes. From 1994 to 1995, she was special counsel to William E. Kennard, then general counsel of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and later FCC Chairman. Abbie also served as a law clerk to Judge Frank W. Bullock, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, from 1991 to 1992.
Education
Duke University, Cum Laude, 1985.
The George Washington University
J.D., 1991
M.B.A., Finance, 1994
Bar Admissions
North Carolina
New York
The District of Columbia
Maryland
Speaking Engagements
"Pay Equity and Negotiations" - designed and presented training for a continuing legal education program hosted by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Bar Association and the Charlotte Women's Bar (2009), and for Women in Municipal Government (2009)
"Pay Equity for Women" - presentation at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Women's Summit (2008)
"Developing a Successful Working Relationship with an Attorney (for small to mid-size businesses)" - presentation at the American Business Women's Association National Meeting Continuing Education Program (2007)