Practice Areas
Bar Admissions
North Carolina
Education
Harvard Law School, J.D., magna cum laude, 1988
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A., with highest honors in Economics, 1985, Phi Beta Kappa; Morehead Scholar; Truman Scholar; Walter S. Spearman Award (outstanding man in graduating class); Undergraduate Prize in Economics
Profile
Allen Robertson currently serves as the firm's managing partner. He is recognized as a public finance lawyer of regional and national distinction. Allen is particularly known for his work with nonprofit health care providers, including leading health systems, community hospitals and senior living facilities. He has extensive experience in North Carolina Medical Care Commission bond financings, having served as bond counsel for more than 80 bond issues in excess of $4.9 billion, including approximately $1.1 billion in tax-exempt bond financings for Duke University Health System, Inc. He has also served as bond counsel in tax-exempt financings totaling approximately $1 billion for Carolinas HealthCare System and for more than $2 billion in financings for Duke University.
Allen represents banks and broker-dealers in underwriting, placing and remarketing securities, making corporate loans, and providing letters of credit and liquidity facilities. He has extensive experience in the senior living industry, serving as general counsel for nonprofit and for-profit providers and representing buyers and sellers in merger and acquisition transactions. In 2014, Allen represented the seller of eight retirement communities in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida for $476 million.
He began his career at Robinson Bradshaw as a bankruptcy lawyer and litigator and continues to provide bankruptcy structuring advice and opinions in transactions and workouts.
Honors & Awards
- Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, banking & finance: public finance, 2004-19; bankruptcy/restructuring, 2007-09
- The Best Lawyers in America, public finance, 2003-20; Charlotte Public Finance Lawyer of the Year, 2011, 2016, 2018
- North Carolina Super Lawyers, banking, 2008-13; government finance, 2014-19
- Martindale-Hubbell, AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated
Clerkships
- Law Clerk, The Honorable James B. McMillan, U.S. District Court, Western District of North Carolina, 1988-89
Experience
Experience
Served as bond counsel in approximately 80 North Carolina Medical Care Commission financings for health systems, hospitals and continuing care retirement communities totaling approximately $4.9 billion, including approximately $1.1 billion in tax-exempt NCMCC bond financings for Duke University Health System.
Served as bond counsel in tax-exempt financings totaling approximately $1 billion for Atrium Health (formerly Carolinas HealthCare System).
Served as underwriter’s counsel, representing Citigroup, BB&T, Ziegler, Herbert J. Sims, Wachovia and Bank of America, in approximately 60 health care facilities financings totaling approximately $6.1 billion.
Served as bond counsel for more than $2 billion in Duke University financings.
Served as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel and/or bank counsel in student housing financings for Appalachian State University, UNC Pembroke, North Carolina Central University and North Carolina A&T University.
Served as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel, bank counsel or borrower’s counsel in exempt facility and industrial development bond issues throughout the country, including bonds for multifamily housing, airports, docks and wharves, solid waste disposal facilities and manufacturing facilities.
Drafted or maintained variable rate demand bond forms for three different banks and assisted them in the development of new modes and products. Represented Citigroup in the development of the Window VRDB product.
Served as bond counsel and dealer’s counsel for tax-exempt commercial paper programs.
Negotiated, or participated in the bidding of, more than $2 billion in notional amount of interest rate swaps.
Served as bond counsel for three health systems in connection with the novation of existing swaps to new counterparties.
Represented an educational institution in the mediation and settlement of swap liability to the Lehman bankruptcy estate.
Served as counsel to a for-profit developer and operator of retirement communities in the sale of eight communities in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida for $476 million.
Served as counsel to a nonprofit operator of retirement facilities in connection with the acquisition of a for-profit continuing care retirement community.
News & Events
News
- Aug. 15, 2019
- May 6, 2019
- Jan. 28, 2019
- Aug. 15, 2018
- May 31, 2018
- March 2, 2018
- Feb. 1, 2018
- Jan. 30, 2018
- Dec. 15, 2017
- Eight Named “Lawyer of the Year”Aug. 16, 2017
- May 31, 2017
- Jan. 26, 2017
- Eight Attorneys Named "Lawyer of the Year"Aug. 15, 2016
- June 2, 2016
- May 9, 2016
- Jan. 27, 2016
- Oct. 15, 2015
- The Bond Buyer Quotes Allen K. Robertson in "Issuers Need to Be Educated in Wake of MCDC Initiative"Sept. 30, 2015
- Sept. 14, 2015
- Aug. 20, 2015
- Aug. 18, 2015
- May 28, 2015
- Jan. 21, 2015
- Firm Topped North Carolina Rankings in Eight Practice AreasAug. 19, 2014
- May 23, 2014
- March 17, 2014
- Allen K. Robertson Testifies on Behalf of National Association of Bond Lawyers at IRS Public HearingMarch 14, 2014
- Jan. 21, 2014
- Sept. 25, 2013
- Sept. 25, 2013
- Aug. 15, 2013
- May 24, 2013
- Six Shareholders Among State’s Top 100 Attorneys, Two in Top 10Jan. 18, 2013
- Oct. 29, 2012
- Aug. 23, 2012
- June 8, 2012
- Seven Shareholders Among State’s Top 100 Attorneys, Two in Top 10Jan. 23, 2012
- Sept. 1, 2011
- Charlotte Firm Leads All Other N.C. Firms in Ranked Attorneys, No. 1 Practice Areas for Third-Straight YearJune 14, 2011
- Seven Shareholders Included Among State’s Top 100 Attorneys, Two in the Top 10Jan. 21, 2011
- November 4, 2010
- Oct. 25, 2010
- Aug. 9, 2010
- Charlotte-Based Firm Again Recognized as State Leader in Eight Practice AreasJune 11, 2010
- Jan. 28, 2010
- Jan. 13, 2010
- Aug. 10, 2009
- June 18, 2009
- Jan. 23, 2009
- Sept. 19, 2008
- June 14, 2008
- Jan. 23, 2008
- Sept. 7, 2007
- June 15, 2007
- Jan. 26, 2007
- Sept. 6, 2006
- June 2, 2006
Events
Hyatt Regency Coconut Point
5001 Coconut Road
Bonita Springs, FL 34134March 7-8, 2019DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites
Charleston-Historic District
181 Church Street
Charleston, South CarolinaOct. 7-9, 20151900 Duke Street, 4th Floor
Alexandria, VirginiaJune 6, 2014- Municipal Market Disclosure: Current Topics and Practices
Sheraton Fairplex Hotel and Conference Center
601 W. McKinley Avenue
Pomona, CaliforniaMarch 18-19, 2014 Boca Raton Resort and Club
900 S. Ocean Boulevard
Boca Raton, FloridaFeb. 23-26, 2014TIAA-CREF
Charlotte, North CarolinaFeb. 19-20, 2014The Ritz Carlton, Charlotte
201 E Trade Street
Charlotte, North CarolinaOct. 17-19, 2013
Insights
Affiliations
Professional Affiliations
- National Association of Bond Lawyers
- President, 2013-14
- Board of Directors, 2008-09, 2010-15
- Bond Attorneys’ Workshop, Steering Committee: Chair, 2009; First Vice Chair, 2008; Second Vice Chair, 2007; Opinions Panel Chair, 2004-06
- "The Function and Professional Responsibilities of Bond Counsel" (3d ed. 2011), Co-Chair
- American College of Bond Counsel, Fellow
- Working Group on Legal Opinions (NABL Representative), 2009-Present
Community Affiliations
- Friends of Scouting Leadership Dinner, Steering Committee, 2004
- Christ Episcopal Church, Sunday School Teacher, 1996-98
- Leadership Charlotte, Class 15