The Bankruptcy Court is pleased to announce that on April 29, 2024, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals selected Ashley A. Edwards to fill the position to be vacated by the Honorable J. Craig Whitley upon his retirement in June 2024.  The duty station for this position is in Charlotte.

Ashley is a partner and practice group leader for the Financial Restructuring and Insolvency Group at Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP and successfully represents clients in all aspects of commercial debt collection and loss mitigation.  Ashley has received a number of honors and awards related to her bankruptcy work and has been recognized by her peers with rankings in Chambers USA, Business North Carolina Legal Elite, and The Best Lawyers in America. Ashley also was named as one of the 40 Under 40 Business Leaders in 2022 by the Charlotte Business Journal.  Additionally, she is a member of Parker Poe's Pro Bono Committee and averages more than 80 hours of pro bono services each year, focusing on North Carolina’s Guardian Ad Litem program through which she represents abused and neglected children.

A seasoned litigator, Ashley is admitted to practice before all U.S. Bankruptcy and District Courts in North Carolina and Georgia as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Prior to joining Parker Poe, Ashley clerked for Judge Whitley. Ashley earned her B.A. in Economics and Spanish at Wake Forest University in 2005. She earned her J.D. at Emory School of Law in 2009.

Ashley’s appointment is contingent upon a successful background check.