Of Counsel fdrake@smithdebnamlaw.com 919.250.2109
Shape Smith Debnam Raleigh The Landmark Center 4601 Six Forks Road Suite 400 Raleigh, NC 27609
Frank Drake concentrates his practice in the areas of creditors’ rights, creditors’ bankruptcy, and commercial litigation. Frank has worked with credit unions, banking and financial institutions, consumer and commercial lenders, and student loan agencies to enforce contracts, minimize losses, and fight fraud. As federal regulatory compliance has become increasingly complex, he also assists lenders with difficult compliance issues.
He has more than 30 years of legal experience. He was first admitted to practice law in Kentucky in 1978. Since then he has been admitted to practice in North Carolina and West Virginia. In Kentucky he was active in drafting statutory law on judgments and garnishments, the design and use of that state’s judgment execution forms, and policies and procedures concerning foreign judgment registration and land records docketing.
Frank has taught classes on bankruptcy and commercial law for the Indiana Bankers Association at Butler University, the National Association of State-Chartered Credit Union Supervisors and various states’ Credit Union Leagues. He also served as speaker for several student loan lending agencies, credit unions, and state and local bar associations. Additionally, he has held compliance seminars for his clients to update them on the ever-changing creditors laws. Frank is listed as a Best Lawyer in the 22nd Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©, an established benchmark of legal excellence.
Frank served as Wake Forest Town Commissioner from 2005 to 2013, and currently serves on the board of directors for the Wake Forest Fire Department. In addition to practicing law and speaking on compliance and legal matters across the state and at the national level, Frank is an accomplished cabinetmaker with a true appreciation for the master craftsmanship of yesteryear. As such, Frank is actively involved in community efforts to preserve and restore historic sites and homes, and currently serves on the board of directors for the Eastern Cabarrus Historical Society.
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