Chantelle L. Okarter

Chantelle is an attorney in the Bankruptcy, Creditors’ Rights, & Financial Restructuring practice.

Chantelle focuses her practice on protecting creditors’ rights under the Bankruptcy Code, primarily defending unsecured creditors against preference, fraudulent transfer, and other avoidance claims in adversary proceedings brought by bankruptcy and liquidation trustees, creditors’ committees, receivers, and assignees for the benefit of creditors. She has defended clients against multimillion-dollar breach of contract lawsuits and bankruptcy actions. Chantelle has represented private and corporate clients across a broad spectrum of sectors, including the financial services, automobile, entertainment, construction, and real estate industries.

With more than a decade of litigation experience, Chantelle’s clients benefit from her strong advocacy and commitment to building a deep understanding of their business to achieve successful outcomes. Her varied legal background includes experience in commercial litigation, products liability, and construction litigation, as well as contract and business disputes and government investigations.

In addition, Chantelle has served as the Commissioner of Planning & Community Development for the City of Mount Vernon, New York. In this role, she spearheaded commercial and residential development projects, restructured the grants department to improve the funding mix, and introduced and led the Harvard University Cities Rise Initiative. This initiative focused on making the municipal government more effective, efficient, and equitable through improved code enforcement to help underserved populations experience better living conditions.

Chantelle received her J.D. from Emory University School of Law and now co-chairs the Admissions Committee for the Emory Black Law Students Association Alumni Board.