Professional Experience
Adrienne Baker is the Chief Operating Officer for Wright Lindsey Jennings. Her practice centers on commercial litigation, including banking and commercial lending, creditors’ rights and collections, contract disputes and surety law. She also regularly provides contract drafting and review services to a variety of businesses. Baker’s more recent experience includes:
- Defense of numerous lawsuits against creditors, loan servicers, debt collectors, law firms and lawyers alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), Federal Truth in Lending Act (TILA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), abuse of process, malicious prosecution and other claims.
- Advise small business clients across several industries on contract formation and evaluation, collection of accounts receivable, and lien creation and perfection.
- Defense of $2-3 million lender liability claim and successful foreclosure with award of all attorney fees and costs to client.
- Defense of numerous businesses in commercial dispute lawsuits and alternative dispute resolution on claims including fraud, negligence, intentional interference, breach of contract and promissory estoppel.
- Defense of a steel manufacturer in arbitration proceeding initiated by former contractor alleging failure to pay for services and conversion of raw materials and seeking approximately $900,000 in damages.
- Represent neurological rehabilitation facility in action against former patient, patient’s conservators, and trustee of patient’s special needs trust for payment of approximately $2.1 million debt for services provided, where payment was secured by lien on proceeds of patient’s medical malpractice actions, over $12 million of proceeds were transferred to a special needs trust, and trustee of trust, patient, and patient’s conservators refused to pay.
- Represent employers in attempting to recover from employees suspected of embezzlement or misappropriation of company assets.
- Assist compounding pharmacy with two-week inspection by the FDA by attending inspection, producing documents, and responding to FDA report.
- Defense of an automobile seller and financer in lawsuits and arbitrations alleging violations of the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and fraud related to condition of vehicle at sale.
- Defense of a construction company in suit by hotel owner alleging use of improper plumbing part led to a flood that caused extensive property damage.
- Advise employers, banks, and others regarding garnishment procedure, and prepare and file answers to writs of garnishment on their behalf.
- Defense of banks in lender liability lawsuits alleging wrongful termination of lines of credit, wrongful failure to lend, wrongful failure to cash checks, failure to monitor use of loan proceeds, fraud and violations of the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (ADTPA).
- Defense of a Fortune 500 food producer in a case alleging violations of Arkansas Franchise Practices Act.
- Defense of a title company in lawsuit alleging negligence in loan closing, violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), conspiracy and fraud.
- Represent title insurance companies in resolving real estate disputes and correcting problems with chains of title, title documents, mortgages and the like.
- Represent a commercial landlord in resolving various tenant disputes, both before and during litigation.
- Defense of a community foundation in a case alleging wrongful amendment of a scholarship endowment agreement.
- Foreclosure of a mortgage on a luxury condominium complex securing a $2.8 million loan, including successful defense of a lender liability counterclaim, as well as numerous other commercial and residential judicial foreclosures and enforcement of security interests in personal property.
- Defense of publishers and their employees in a defamation actions.
- Represent creditor in post-judgment attempts to collect judgment in excess of $10 million.
Recognition
In 2017, Arkansas Business named Baker to its “40 Under 40” list of business and political leaders. In 2017 and 2015, Baker was voted one of the Top 100 Lawyers in Little Rock by the readers of Soiree, a high-profile publication distributed in Central Arkansas. She has also been named a “Rising Star” by Mid-South Super Lawyers each year since 2012. In 2014, she was recognized as one of twenty-seven “Women to Watch” by Soiree.
Baker is a member of the American Bar Association, Arkansas Bar Association and Pulaski County Bar Association. She is also a member of the National Center for State Courts.
Community Involvement
Baker serves as chair of the Board Engagement and Recruitment Committee of the board of directors of the American Red Cross Serving Greater Arkansas, having completed her term as Chairman of the Board. She is also a graduate of Leadership Greater Little Rock, Class XXXI.