Related Information
Education
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Vanderbilt University Law School
J.D. 2004
Dean's List; Carl J. Ruskowski Clinical Legal Education Award; Community and Economic Development Clinic; Vanderbilt Scholastic Excellence Awards in Federal Income Tax and Regulation of Financial Institutions; Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment Law and Practice, Notes Editor; Moot Court Board
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Tennessee Technological University
M.B.A. 2001
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Tennessee Technological University
B.S., magna cum laude, 2000
World Cultures and Business
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Tennessee Technological University
B.A., magna cum laude, 2000
Foreign Language, French
Admissions
Kentucky
Tennessee
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Service Areas
- Bankruptcy
- Business Litigation
- Civil Litigation
- Financial Institutions Litigation and Subprime Litigation
- Real Estate and Land Use Litigation
- Creditors' Rights & Bankruptcy
- Creditors' Rights, Out-of-Court Workouts & Commercial Litigation
Industry Experience
- Banking / Financial Services
- Financing
- Consumer Products / Food / Beverage
Memberships
- American Bar Association
- Kentucky Bar Association
- American Bankruptcy Institute
- Commercial Law League of America
- Law Association for Women
Erika Barnes is a member of the firm's Creditors' Rights and Bankruptcy Service Group and the Business Litigation Service Group. She handles a variety of difficult matters for her clients, including complex commercial litigation. She handles foreclosure litigation and workouts on behalf of commercial loan servicers. Erika represents creditors, creditors' committees and trustees in all chapters of bankruptcy. Erika regularly defends preference and fraudulent conveyance actions in bankruptcy courts across the country.
Recent Assignments
- Represented the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors for the Jockey's Guild, Inc. Chapter 11 bankruptcy
- Represented the liquidating trustee for the Lightyear Holdings, Inc., et al. Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
- Represented lenders in obtaining receivers and foreclosures of apartment complexes, retail space and other commercial property
- Represented secured lender in bankruptcy asset sale of $8.1 million office building
- Successfully litigated trial and appeal of breach of contract claim
Reported and Representative Cases
- Obipektin AG v. Falkon Int'l, Inc., 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7293, (W.D. Ky., January 29, 2010)
- Bayview Loan Servicing, LLC v. McNaughton, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 31466 (W.D. Mich., April 15, 2008)
- Nat'l FoodCo Corp. v. Pilgrim's Pride Corp., 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 46427, (W.D. Ky., June 22, 2007)
- Integrated Communs. Corp. v. Duddy, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 53216, (W.D. Ky., July 28, 2006)
Recent Speaking Engagements and Publications
- "Tennessee foreclosure statutes: Lenders, take note," Stites & Harbison, PLLC, Client Alert, June 18, 2010
- "The Law and Practice of Foreclosure," 29th Annual Conference on Legal Issues for Financial Institutions, University of Kentucky College of Law, Lexington, Ky., September 2009
- "Bank Garnishments - Do Your Duty!" Kentucky Banker Magazine, October 2007
- "In-Depth Title Insurance Principles," National Business Institute, June 2007
- "What to Do When Construction Projects Go Bad in Kentucky," Lorman Education Services, June 2006
Before Stites & Harbison
During law school, Erika worked as a legal intern for Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation. She was a French translator for ITI Worldwide in Cookeville, Tenn., from 1999 to 2000.