

Landon credits his time serving as a mortarman in the United States Marine Corps for instilling in him the values of honor, leadership, perseverance, flexibility, precision, and attention to detail. Landon’s military background provides the perfect foundation for his work at Smith Debnam, representing some of the nation’s leading institutions in the consumer financial services industry in compliance, civil litigation, and bankruptcy matters.
Committed to getting it right, Landon makes it his mission to understand the client’s primary and secondary goals. As Landon would say, knowing the details is ‘mission-critical’ because the difference between what is material and what is irrelevant in a legal matter frequently turns on subtle details. With calm precision, he can quickly zero in on the friction points in an adversarial legal matter, saving his clients valuable time and expense. Similarly, Landon’s attention to detail proves invaluable in assisting clients in prospectively minimizing litigation and administrative enforcement exposure through sound compliance and risk management advice.
A member of the construction law, business litigation, and bankruptcy teams, Landon received his J.D. summa cum laude from Campbell University’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Finance, with distinction, from the University of Hawai’i at West O’ahu. Following law school, Landon clerked for the Honorable Joseph N. Callaway, Bankruptcy Judge for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Before joining Smith Debnam, Landon represented both corporate and individual debtors in chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13 bankruptcy cases and numerous individuals in consumer protection litigation—experiences he credits with his ability to see all sides of a legal issue and to maximize the strength of his client’s position.
My Credentials
Admissions
- North Carolina State Bar, 2017
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, 2017
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, 2019
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, 2019
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, 2017
Education
- J.D., summa cum laude, Campbell University – Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, 2017
- B.A., with distinction, the University of Hawai’i at West O’ahu, 2014, Economics & Finance
Professional Affiliations
- American Bankruptcy Institute, Member, 2017-current
- American Bar Association, Member, 2017-current
- North Carolina Bar Association, Member, 2017-current
- Conference on Consumer Finance Law, Member, 2021-current
- North Carolina Creditor’s Bar Association, Member, 2021-current
Awards & Recognition
- Medal of Excellence, American Bankruptcy Institute, 2017
- Listed among North Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Stars – 2021 – present
- Listed among Business North Carolina Legal Elite (Bankruptcy) – 2022
Published Articles
- Landon G. Van Winkle, Separation of Powers or Abdication of Power? How Transunion v. Ramirez Reshaped the Role of Federal Courts in Enforcing Federally-Created Private Rights, 75 Consumer Fin. L. Quarterly Rep., no. 4 (2022)
- Peter Maskow & Landon G. Van Winkle, Student Loans: The Future of Collections and Repayment, ABA Business Law Section: Business Law Today (July 2022)
- Landon G. Van Winkle, Anatomy of the § 1111(b) Election, ABA Business Law Section: Business Law Today (June 21, 2021)
- Landon G. Van Winkle, Mere Retention of Property of the Estate Does Not Violate Section 362(a)(3), N.C. Bar Ass’n: NCBarBlog (Jan. 26, 2021)
- Caren Enloe & Landon Van Winkle, The CFPB’s Debt Collection Rule & Communications: What Banks Need to Know, Carolina Banker, Fall 2020 at 35
- Elizabeth Blackwell Ross & Landon Van Winkle, PPP Litigation Outcomes Offer Insight to Lenders Preparing to Embark on Round 3, Carolina Banker, Spring 2021 at 42
- Landon G. Van Winkle, Civil Contempt in Bankruptcy: Exploring the Limits of the Bankruptcy Courts’ Subject Matter Jurisdiction, N.C. Bar Ass’n: NCBarBlog (Jan. 25, 2019)
- Landon G. Van Winkle, Comment, To Exit the Quagmire, Follow the Bright Line: How Stern Can Guide the Split Circuits Toward a Uniform and Efficient Approach to Enforcing Arbitration Clauses in Bankruptcy, 33 Cal. Bankr. J. 371 (2016)
Recommended Articles


Debtor’s Counsel Failed to Mitigate Attorneys’ Fees Incurred for § 362(k) Violation by Rejecting Settlement Offer; Proceeding to Trial
January 31, 2022 | by Landon Van Winkle
2017 Amendments to Bankruptcy Rules Do Not Permit Lien Avoidance Through Chapter 13 Plan
January 11, 2022 | by Landon Van Winkle
Eighth Circuit Appears to Mandate Appeal of Interlocutory Orders in Order to Preserve Right of Appellate Review
September 09, 2021 | by Landon Van Winkle