Allen West
Mr. West is licensed to practice law in both North Carolina and South Carolina, and practices primarily in the areas of construction, business litigation, real estate litigation, and bankruptcy. He regularly negotiates and drafts contracts for construction industry clients and provides practical counsel regarding risk assessment and claims avoidance. Mr. West also has substantial experience representing borrowers and guarantors in loan workouts and foreclosures, including the negotiation of loan modifications and forbearance agreements.
Before joining HSSM, Mr. West was with the firm Kilpatrick Stockton. Prior to law school, Mr. West worked as a television reporter covering politics and government for WIS News in Columbia, South Carolina, and prior to that served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a noncommissioned officer. Mr. West also has experience as a senior executive for a leading lighting manufacturing company located in Charleston, South Carolina.
Mr. West is a frequent lecturer on various construction related topics including lien law, construction contracts, claims avoidance and public contracting issues, and has been invited to speak to the UNCC School of Architecture, North Carolina Bar Construction Section, AIA, and Design Professionals. Mr. West was selected by fellow Bar members for inclusion in Business North Carolina magazine’s Legal Elite in construction law.
Practice Areas
- Bankruptcy, Restructuring + Creditors' Rights
- Commercial Litigation
- Construction Law
- Corporate Transactions, Governance + Disputes
- Design Professional Services
Education
- University of South Carolina School of Law, JD, 1998, South Carolina Law Review, publications editor, Order of the Wig & Robe
- University of South Carolina, BA (Broadcast Journalism), 1991, Phi Beta Kappa
Experience
- Representation of clients in commercial litigation, dispute resolution and contract negotiation.
- Works with all entities involved in the construction arena including owners, design professionals, contractors and sureties to provide counsel throughout the construction process, including contract drafting and negotiation.
- Representation of creditors and debtors in numerous preference/fraudulent transfer actions.
- Representation of insolvent companies and individuals in pre-bankruptcy counseling, negotiation and litigation, often resulting in substantial debt reduction.
- Representation of contractors and subcontractors in construction defect claims involving moisture intrusion, mold, structural, and other issues in both North and South Carolina.
- Representation of architects, structural engineers, surveyors and geotechnical engineers in a variety of cases involving everything from industrial accidents to residential design defect claims.
- Representation of residential and commercial owners in a variety design and construction defect claims.
- Representation of various municipalities and contractors involving bid challenges and procurement disputes.
Honors + Activities
- Martindale - Hubble® AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rating
- Selected as a “Super Lawyer” in the North Carolina Super Lawyers publication
- Selected in Construction Litigation in Business North Carolina's Legal Elite
- North Carolina Bar, Construction Law Section, ABA Liaison Committee Chair
- Charlotte Viewpoint, Board Member
- Men for Change Committee (2010-Present), Member
- North Carolina Construction Law Deskbook, Assistant Editor
- Mediator, Mecklenburg County Fee Dispute Committee
- Charlotte Leadership, Class 33
- Lunch with a Lawyer, Volunteer
- District Bar Candidate Committee for the Board of Law Examiners
- William H. Bobbitt American Inn of Court
- Member, North Carolina Bar Association (Litigation and Construction Sections)
- Member, South Carolina Bar Association
- Member, Mecklenburg County Bar Association