Francisco T. Morales

Francisco Morales focuses his practice on the long-term and post-acute health care sectors. As a former general counsel for one of the nation’s largest long-term care operators, he uses his extensive first-hand knowledge and experience to help clients navigate the broad range of complex regulatory, business and operational challenges facing the industry. Francisco also uses his experience as a former business insolvency professional to guide clients in loan forbearance negotiations, modifications and workouts.

Francisco has been involved in acquisition, finance, development, sale and leasing transactions of long-term care assets exceeding a billion dollars. His transactional experience includes traditional bank financings, bridge-to-agency and mezzanine loans, HUD-insured loans, USDA-insured loans, private placement bond financings and REIT leasing. Francisco assists clients through the finance underwriting process including due diligence requests, third-party report requests, real estate and land use issues, regulatory and licensure approvals and agreements regarding the transfers of management and operation of long-term care facilities.

Francisco also routinely assists long-term care owners, operators, managers and third-party providers with regulatory, administrative, licensure and Certificate of Need matters. Francisco has successfully handled hundreds of administrative penalty appeals before the North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings and in North Carolina state courts. He has years of experience defending long-term care clients against allegations of substandard quality of care, understaffing, pharmacy diversions, personnel licensing and other related survey actions. Francisco has also been at the forefront of defending North Carolina long-term care providers on issues related to Medicaid reimbursement, billing irregularities and fraud and abuse. In addition, Francisco has extensive experience with licensure and Certificate of Need matters, ranging from initial licensure, change of licensure, licensure renewal and licensure relinquishment issues, to the preparation and submission of Certificate of Need applications, change of scope applications, material compliance requests and contested and litigated matters with the State.

Francisco is a native of Chile who moved to the U.S. as a teen. He ran track and field at Davidson College and continues to run in races up to half-marathons.

Recognition

• The Best Lawyers in America®, Bankruptcy Litigation (2017-2020)
• Super Lawyers Rising Star - Bankruptcy (2018-2020)

Education

• Wake Forest University School of Law, J.D., 2011
  • Chairman, Honor Council
  • Moot Court Board Member
  • Trial Bar Board Member
• Davidson College, B.A., 2007
  • Alumni Grant (full merit scholarship)
  • Southern Conference Academic All-Conference
  • NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Athlete, 400m hurdles

Bar & Court Admissions