Francesca Macchiaverna protects businesses’ financial interests through efficient commercial debt collection and dispute resolution.
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, mechanic’s 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.
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)
SunTrust 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. A14A1616, 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
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, 2023-2024 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 lawyer’s 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.
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…
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…
SubChapter 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 International’s Business Litigation Practice Group on May 5, 2020.
Bank it! A Game That Tests Your Bankruptcy Knowledge – a PowerPoint 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 PowerPoint 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.
Francesca Macchiaverna is a partner at HunterMaclean. In this video for Savannah CEO, she talks about the Firm’s community involvement and her work with the Coastal Heritage Society.
Francesca Macchiaverna is a partner at HunterMaclean. In this video for Savannah CEO, she talks about her practice dealing with foreclosures and workouts, mostly for commercial businesses.
Francesca Macchiaverna is an attorney with HunterMaclean. Her primary practice is representing creditors in bankruptcy cases and pursuing claims against creditors by debtors.
HunterMaclean, a business law firm with offices in Savannah and St. Simons Island, was recently honored with the selection of twelve attorneys as 2024 Georgia Super Lawyers and four attorneys…
HunterMaclean, a business law firm with offices in Savannah and St. Simons Island, was recently honored with the selection of eleven attorneys as 2023 Georgia Super Lawyers and three attorneys…
HunterMaclean partner Francesca Macchiaverna served as a panelist for this webinar by ALFA International’s Business Litigation Practice Group on May 5, 2020. Other panelists included David A. Lerner and Denise…
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