From Farms to Hospitals: Saving Businesses and Communities with NC Restructuring Attorney Jennifer Lyday (VIDEO Version)

2025-10-09

In this episode of The Pivot Playbook, host Salene Mazur Kraemer sits down with Jennifer Lyday, a seasoned Chapter 11 practitioner and partner at Waldrip, Wall, Babcock & Bailey in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. They are both West Virginia natives and adoptive moms and members of IWIRC- International Women's Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation. From helping farmers preserve generational land to steering hospitals through financial distress, Jennifer brings humanity and heart to the practice of insolvency law. They discuss her journey from Spanish major to...

In this episode of The Pivot Playbook, host Salene Mazur Kraemer sits down with Jennifer Lyday, a seasoned Chapter 11 practitioner and partner at Waldrip, Wall, Babcock & Bailey in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. They are both West Virginia natives and adoptive moms and members of IWIRC- International Women's Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation. From helping farmers preserve generational land to steering hospitals through financial distress, Jennifer brings humanity and heart to the practice of insolvency law.

They discuss her journey from Spanish major to bankruptcy attorney, her deep ties to IWIRC’s Carolinas Network, and how she balances professional purpose with her roles as a mom of three and an adoption advocate. Jennifer shares wisdom on why clients should “never wait too long” to seek help, and the profound satisfaction that comes from saving not just a business — but a community.

Guest: Jennifer Lyday
Firm: Waldrip, Wall, Babcock & Bailey, Winston-Salem, NC
Website: https://www.waldrepwall.com/
Professional Affiliations: International Women’s Insolvency and Reorganization Confederation (Vice Director of Member Services, 2024 Board of Directors; Board Member and Former Communications Chair of the Carolinas Network)

Topics Covered:

Jennifer’s path from Wake Forest to William & Mary Law, and how a mentor sparked her passion for bankruptcy law.
The power of female representation in federal practice areas and the supportive network of IWIRC.
Her love for Chapter 12 farming clients and rural hospitals, where legal work truly transforms lives.
Insights for business owners in distress — and what not to do when facing financial trouble.
Adoption and motherhood: building family through love, faith, and openness.
Her favorite things — from hiking the Camino de Santiago to Christian metal playlists.