Francesca Macchiaverna

Download vCard Email Download CV Connect on Linked In 200 East Saint Julian Street PO Box 9848 Savannah, GA 31412-0048 Tel 912.236.0261 Fax 912.236.4936 Experience credentials Insights News Francesca Macchiaverna protects businesses financial interests through efficient commercial debt collection and dispute resolution. She also serves as the firms hiring partner. A seasoned litigator, she represents creditors in state and federal courts across Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, serving banks, specialty finance firms, commercial landlords, property managers, heavy equipment dealers, and businesses extending credit to finance sales of goods and services. Her practice covers bankruptcy, creditors rights, foreclosures, workouts, preference defense, landlord-tenant matters, mechanics liens and bonds, probate claims, and judgment collection - including foreign judgments. Certified as a Circuit Court Mediator in South Carolina, Francesca also helps resolve disputes outside of court. Her high ethical standards have earned her an AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Admitted to all state and federal courts in Georgia and South Carolina, the U. S. Supreme Court, and North Carolina, Francesca is a member of the Bankruptcy and Creditors Rights Sections of the State Bar of Georgia, the Savannah Bar Association, and the Georgia Association for Women Lawyers. She also holds memberships with the South Carolina Bar, South Carolina Women Lawyers Association, and South Carolina Bankruptcy Law Association. She regularly presents on bankruptcy and commercial landlord-tenant issues. In the community, she serves as treasurer of TEDxSavannah. Francesca earned her B. A. from Emory University and J. D. from the University of South Carolina, where she was an articles editor for the South Carolina Environmental Law Journal. She is married with two daughters. Experience Practice Areas / Industries Representative Engagements Published Opinions Community Work Practice Areas / Industries Practice Areas Arbitration & Mediation Bankruptcy & Creditors Rights Business Litigation Construction Estates & Trusts Foreclosures & Workouts Health Care Insurance Coverage & Defense Litigation Real Estate Litigation Industries Banking & Finance Health Care Real Estate Representative Engagements Represented creditors in post-judgment proceedings, successfully collecting on judgments through garnishment of bank accounts and wages or foreclosing on real or personal property. Defended debtor in post-judgment proceedings, successfully preventing collection of judgment against debtor. Represented commercial landlord/creditors in administrative expense claims of rejected damages claim filed against tenant/debtor. Enforced collection on commercial credit applications and secured mechanics liens and bonds, ensuring clients rights to payment for goods and services provided. Managed complex federal judicial foreclosure actions in South Carolina, effectively navigating the legal process to recover assets. Achieved enforcement of an arbitration agreement for a major health care network, culminating in a favorable motion to enforce after extensive alternative dispute resolution efforts. Represented creditors in adversary proceedings involving personal financial statements and guarantees, safeguarding clients claims in bankruptcy contexts. Defended property owners against subcontractor-filed mechanics liens in Georgia, negotiating favorable settlements to resolve disputes. Facilitated the reformation and ratification of deeds to secure debt, clarifying and securing property rights for clients in complex real estate transactions. Published Opinions Published Opinions Young v. Catoe, 33 Fed. Appx. 133 (4th Cir. 2002) Robert Michael Ardis v. Educational Credit Management Corp. (In re Ardis), 340 B. R. 309 (Bankr. S. C. 2006) Sun Trust Bank v. Global One, L. L. C. (In re Global One, L. L. C.), 411 B. R. 524 (Bankr. S. D. Ga. 2009) Gerguis v. Statesboro HMA Medical Group, LLC, No. A14 A1616, 2015 WL 1215045 (Ga. Ct. App. March 18, 2015) Gray Tybee, II, LLC, et al. v. Charles W. Coker, Jr. (In the Matter of Coker), 569 B. R. 521 (Bankr. S. D. Ga. 2017) Community Work Community Work TEDxSavannah: Board Treasurer Delta Gamma Alumnae Association South Carolina Bankruptcy Law Association: Presenter, 2021 Leadership Southeast Georgia: Class of 2019 Leadership Savannah: Class of 2016-2017 ALFA International: Bankruptcy Law Presenter, 2019 Coastal Bankruptcy Law Institute: Presenter, 2017-2018 Coastal Heritage Society: Board of Trustees, 2013-2018; Executive Board, 2019-2021 Georgia High School Mock Trial Program: Scoring or Presiding Judge South Carolina High School Mock Trial Program: Scoring or Presiding Judge Credentials Education Clerkships Affiliations Recognition Licensed In Education Education University of South Carolina School of Law: J. D., 1999 Emory University: B. A., 1994 Clerkships Clerkships South Carolina Circuit Court: The Honorable James E. Lockemy Affiliations Affiliations State Bar of Georgia: Bankruptcy and Creditors Rights Section Savannah Bar Association Georgia Association for Women Lawyers: Savannah Chapter, Past President, 2011-2012 South Carolina Bar: Board of Governors Task Force - Lawyers in Transition South Carolina Women Lawyers Association South Carolina Bankruptcy Law Association ALFA International: Bankruptcy Law Working Group Recognition Recognition Georgia Super Lawyers: Business Litigation: 2023-2026 Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process is multi-phased and includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations. Martindale-Hubbell: AV Rated The Martindale-Hubbell PEER REVIEW RATINGS are an objective indicator of a lawyers high ethical standards and professional ability, generated from evaluations of lawyers by other members of the bar and the judiciary in the United States and Canada. Best Lawyers in America: Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights; Commercial Litigation: 2026 Best Lawyers is the oldest and most highly-respected peer review guide to the legal profession worldwide. A listing in Best Lawyers is widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a significant honor, conferred on a lawyer by his or her peers. Georgia Trend Magazine Legal Elite: 2025 Georgia Trend Magazines annual listing of Georgias top attorneys, selected by their peers. The list includes eight practice areas: business law; personal injury litigation; criminal law; labor and employment; taxes, estates and trusts; bankruptcy and creditors rights; family law; and general practice/trial law. Licensed In Licensed In Georgia North Carolina South Carolina Insights Articles Presentations Media Articles Articles 3 Protections to Consider in Contracts with Bankrupt Customers December 2, 2024 By: Francesca Macchiaverna In 2010, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a judgment in favor of the chapter 7 trustee against a vendor that sold petroleum to a debtor... Read More Articles Is it a Boat Slip, a Dock, or a Condo? Wait, its a Dockominium! May 10, 2023 By Francesca Macchiaverna, as published by Legal Newswire The term dockominium is not defined in the Georgia Condominium Act or Georgia case law. Dockominiums as an interest in land are... Read More Articles Greater Savannah Apartment Association Newsletter (n/k/a Coastal Georgia Apartment Association) May 31, 2017 By Francesca Macchiaverna, published from May 2015 to May 2017. Read More Read All Presentations Presentations Sub Chapter V of Chapter 11 CLE in-person event presented by Francesca Macchiaverna and Jon Levis at the Coastal Bankruptcy Law Institute Seminar on May 19, 2023. Bankruptcy Subchapter V CLE virtual event presented by Francesca Macchiaverna, Christine Brimm, and Kerk Spong for the South Carolina Bankruptcy Lawyers Association on September 21, 2021. Bankruptcy Issues as a Result of COVID-19 - Small Business Reorganization Act and CARES Act Francesca Macchiaverna served as a panelist for this webinar by ALFA Internationals Business Litigation Practice Group on May 5, 2020. Bank it! A Game That Tests Your Bankruptcy Knowledge - a Power Point gameshow based on $100,000 Pyramid ALFA International Client Seminar presented by Francesca Macchiaverna on behalf of the Bankruptcy Working Group from February 28 to March 2, 2019. Ethics: Jeoparody! - a Power Point gameshow based on Jeopardy! Presented at the Coastal Bankruptcy Law Institute Seminar on April 20, 2018. Landlord Tenant Law Seminar Presented for the Greater Savannah Apartment Association on April 21, 2016. Credit Presentation for the National Association of Credit Management Seminar Presented in Savannah, Georgia, on March 10, 2016. View More View less Media Video: Francesca Macchiaverna of Hunter Maclean on the Coastal Heritage Society Francesca Macchiaverna is a partner at Hunter Maclean. In this video for Savannah CEO, she talks about the Firms community involvement and her work with the Coastal Heritage Society. View Video: Francesca Macchiaverna of Hunter Maclean Discusses Foreclosures and Workouts Francesca Macchiaverna is a partner at Hunter Maclean. In this video for Savannah CEO, she talks about her practice dealing with foreclosures and workouts, mostly for commercial businesses. View Video: Hunter Macleans Francesca Macchiaverna Talks About Bankruptcy & Creditors Rights Francesca Macchiaverna is an attorney with Hunter Maclean. Her primary practice is representing creditors in bankruptcy cases and pursuing claims against creditors by debtors. View Read All News Announcements Seventeen Hunter Maclean Attorneys Recognized as 2026 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars February 13, 2026 As published by Savannah CEO Hunter Maclean, a business law firm with offices in Savannah and St. Simons Island, was recently honored with the selection of 12 attorneys as 2026 Georgia... Read More Announcements Twelve Hunter Maclean Attorneys Honored as 2025 Georgia Trend Legal Elite December 4, 2025 As published by Savannah CEO Hunter Maclean, a leading business law firm with offices in Savannah and St. Simons Island, is honored to announce that twelve attorneys were recently recognized as... Read More Announcements 31 Hunter Maclean Attorneys Listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2026 August 21, 2025 SAVANNAH, Ga. - Hunter Maclean, a leading law firm with offices in Savannah and St. Simons Island, is pleased to announce that 31 attorneys from the firm were recently selected for... Read More