Photo of R. Jonathan  Charleston
Principal
The Charleston Group
T: 910.485.2500
F: 910.485.2599
jcharleston@charlestongroup.com
R. Jonathan Charleston

Practice areas

Admissions

Education

  • University of North Carolina School of Law, J.D.
  • Howard University, B.B.A. Accounting

Charleston Group Lawyers - R. Jonathan Charleston

Mr. Charleston serves as counsel to a roster of high-profile individuals, public and private companies, government agencies and national service organizations. His practice focuses on corporate, public finance, litigation, contract, zoning and healthcare (Medicaid) law.

He is listed in The Bond Buyer’s Municipal Marketplace, better known as the “Red Book" as sole bond counsel.  Mr. Charleston has extensive experience with general obligation bonds and revenue based obligations that cities, counties and political subdivisions frequently issue.  These include water and sewer revenue based issues and issues supported by other revenue streams to include bonds secured by hospital system revenue for county or city owned facilities, for example. He also has substantial experience in affordable housing development utilizing housing bonds and low income housing tax credits.  He has served as general counsel to multiple housing authorities.

Mr. Charleston has been on the cutting edge of Medicaid transformation in North Carolina.  He has served as general counsel to public managed care organizations.  Mr. Charleston and his team also have substantial experience representing healthcare providers offensively and defensively in payor and licensure disputes.

He also regularly represents licensees, physicians and dentists before administrative panels in disciplinary matters including, for example, the North Medical Board and North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners.

Developers, builders and land owners routinely engage Mr. Charleston in commercial zoning and land use matters.

Mr. Charleston combines a strong record of success in his areas of practice with a longstanding commitment to community service. He was the first African-American partner in a major law firm in the Raleigh, Durham, Research Park Triangle Area. He supports numerous community activities and charities, and is an active member of local and national bar associations.

Representative Experience

  • Co-Issuer’s counsel in connection with $152,000,000 City of Atlanta and Fulton County Recreation Authority Revenue Refunding and Improvement Bonds (Series 2017A&B) relating to financing and refinancing certain improvements and renovations to Philips Arena (Atlanta Hawks)
  • Co-Note Counsel to the City of Atlanta in connection with the not-to-exceed $500,000,000 Third Lien Airport General Revenue Short-Term Notes, Series 2018A (Non-AMT) and B (AMT)
  • Counsel to Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority in connection with the $39,000,000 US Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded RAD Conversion of Grove View Terrace and the issuance of the authority's $20,000,000 multifamily housing revenue bonds (Series 2017) to finance the acquisition and construction of a 272-unit multifamily residential rental project utilizing low income housing tax credits, tax-exempt bonds, and grants
  • Represented City of Fayetteville, NC in negotiation of cable television franchise agreement with Time Warner
  • Negotiated sale of a Fortune 50 financial services company’s majority interest in a national asset management company
  • Co-counsel in seminal case involving $3.2M jury award in alienation of affection, defamation, and “revenge porn” case in Elizabeth Ann Clark v. Adam Clark, et al. The case was featured on television's top-rated syndicated newsmagazine - - Inside Edition. https://www.insideedition.com/media/videos/mom-wins-first-revenge-porn-lawsuit-i-couldnt-believe-it-56122
  • As defense counsel for American Express Financial Advisors, Inc., successfully defended key company executives in high-profile litigation asserting breach of contract, wrongful discharge, fraud, and breach of fiduciary duty. All claims were dismissed at trial and the decision of the trial court was affirmed by the North Carolina Court of Appeals
  • As defense counsel for DaimlerChrysler Corporation, successfully reversed a Superior Court judgment in regard to a breach of warranty lawsuit on appeal to the North Carolina Court of Appeals
  • Counsel to numerous healthcare providers, including continuing care and life care facilities, nursing homes, providers of mental health services, physicians and dentists, in operational matters and before regulatory agencies
  • General Counsel to Housing Authority of County of Wake, North Carolina (Raleigh) including involvement as counsel in connection with the development of numerous affordable housing developments utilizing utilizing low income housing tax credits, tax-exempt and taxable bonds, and grants.
  • Counsel to Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority in connection with the $20 million Hope VI Grant used to finance the acquisition and construction of affordable housing utilizing low income housing tax credits, tax-exempt and taxable bonds, and grants.  Fully leveraged, the Hope VI grant created more than $100 million in revitalization and new development activity
  • Co-Bond counsel in connection with $500 million State of North Carolina Capital Improvement Limited Obligation Bonds, Series 2011A
  • Co-Bond counsel in connection with $14.8 million County of Cumberland Taxable Limited Obligation Bonds (Qualified School Construction Bond), Series 2011A
  • Co-Bond counsel in connection with $105 million City of Columbia, South Carolina, and Waterworks and Sewer System Revenue Bonds, Series 2010
  • Issuer’s counsel in connection with $10.1 million County of Wake Housing Authority Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds for Walnut Ridge Apartments
  • Co-bond counsel to Cumberland County on financing (and partial refunding) of $55 million Cumberland County Finance Corporation Certificates of Participation for the Civic Center Project
  • Counsel to Bank of America Community Development Bank in connection with $16.5 million County of Mecklenburg Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds  for Sycamore Green Apartments

Professional Affiliations

  • National Association of Bond Lawyers
  • North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers
  • American Bar Association; Business Law Section
  • National Bar Association: former co-chair, Long Range Plans Committee
  • North Carolina Bar Association: former secretary, Business and Tax Law Sections; Health Care Section; former Co-Chair, Commission for the Implementation of the Principles of the ABA Demonstration Project

Community/Civic Activities

  • Trustee, Benedict College, 2010–2014
  • Director, Fayetteville Technical Community College Foundation (former)
  • Trustee, Fayetteville State University
  • Director, Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce (former)
  • Cumberland County Workforce Development Board