E. Knox Proctor V

Financial Institutions Attorney

252.672.5427 252.672.5477

Post Office Box 867, New Bern, NC 28563-0867

Knox is a general business attorney with a financial institutions and regulatory background. He helps large, mid-sized, and small businesses with general corporate and business issues, including mergers and acquisitions, and is particularly well-equipped to address a variety of regulatory issues and lending matters. Knox has experience with securities issues, and also advises on trust issues, securities brokerage, investment advice and asset management services, and insurance services. He serves on various North Carolina Bar Association committees, including those that deal with legislative issues affecting financial institutions and trust administration.

Knox also serves as President of the New Bern Civic Theatre. He previously served on the Legal Issues and Workplace Policies and Education Committees of the North Carolina Chamber and on the Board of the New Bern Area Chamber of Commerce. Prior to joining Ward and Smith, Knox served as related financial services counsel for one of North Carolina's major multi-bank holding companies. Before that, he practiced law with a large law firm in Raleigh. Knox was named a 2017 "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers in the field of Corporate Law.

Education

J.D., with high honors, The University of North Carolina School of Law, 1987. Board of Editors, North Carolina Law Review, Order of the Coif, Chief Justice Walter Clark Award.
A.B., The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1984
Davidson College, 1979-1981
The McCallie School, 1979

Representative Experience

Represented acquiring bank holding company in interstate merger
Represented selling bank holding company in merger of equals
Represented bank in sale of bank branch
Established collective investment fund documentation (personal trust and employee benefit) for major bank wealth management group
Represented lending bank in $85 million financing for regional hospital system
Represented lending bank $4.5 million financing for non-profit
Represented foreign entity and U.S. subsidiary borrower in $16 million credit facility
Represented supplier borrower in $3 million receivables financing
Represented housing authority in HUD financing
Regularly negotiate and prepare loan participation arrangements among financial institutions
Regularly advise financial institutions on regulatory issues
Regularly advise corporate fiduciaries on policies and procedures, prepare forms and templates, and address regulatory and risk situations
Prepared form templates for manufacturer's RFP program for motor carriers and transportation brokers
Developed written supervisory procedures and related requirements for FINRA-regulated broker-dealer
Conducted internal investigation of governmental organization
Advised on endowment fund expenditures under Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act
Represented governmental organization in establishment of non-profit organization

Honors and Distinctions*

The Best Lawyers in America, 2010-2020
"Lawyer of the Year," Best Lawyers, 2017

Professional and Community Affiliations

American Bar Association — Forum: Franchising
American Bar Association — Sections: Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice; Business Law; Real Property, Trust and Estate Law
New Bern Area Chamber of Commerce (Leadership Craven Alumnus, Class of 2001)
North Carolina Bar Association — Sections: Administrative Law; Antitrust & Complex Business Disputes Law; Bankruptcy; Business Law; Constitutional Rights; Estate Planning & Fiduciary Law; International Law & Practice
North Carolina Chamber

Admitted to Practice

North Carolina, 1987
All state courts in North Carolina
United States District Court for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of North Carolina

About Me

My motto is North Carolina's "To be rather than to seem." I joined Ward and Smith because it follows that motto and does what it says it will do. It really does put our clients first, it really does insist you join the team, and it really does have your back. I enjoy working with a variety of our business clients. The folks we represent are incredibly smart and interesting people, so I get to learn something new every day.

I became a lawyer because it's a long family tradition. I love living in New Bern, but I enjoy having a practice that takes me all over all over North Carolina and sometimes to other places.

* Please see the following websites for an explanation of the membership standards for the following recognitions: www.bestlawyers.com; businessnc.com/special-sections/legal-elite/; and www.superlawyers.com/north-carolina.

Practice Groups

An attorney‑client relationship may only be established through direct attorney‑to‑client communication that is confirmed by the execution of an engagement agreement. The content of any unsolicited email sent to Ward and Smith, P.A., or to any of its attorneys at an email address available on this website, will not create an attorney‑client relationship and the contents of such unsolicited email shall not be considered confidential. Therefore, do not use this website or the email addresses available on this website to provide confidential information about yourself or a legal matter to Ward and Smith or any of its attorneys.