Jeffrey I. Snyder

General Counsel, Head of Bankruptcy, CMBS Litigation and Workouts
305-375-6148
Area of Focus: Bankruptcy & Restructuring, Trial & Litigation, CMBS
"[He] is one of those rare attorneys who brings the perspective of the law along with good common sense and business judgment."
- Chambers USA source
Jeffrey I. Snyder
General Counsel, Head of Bankruptcy, CMBS Litigation and Workouts
305-375-6148
  • OVERVIEW
  • EXPERIENCE
  • INSIGHTS
  • CREDENTIALS
  • PRACTICES
GET TO KNOW JEFF

Jeffrey is the head of Bilzin Sumberg’s Bankruptcy practice and its CMBS Litigation and Workouts Team, and is also General Counsel to the Firm. In his practice, Jeffrey represents secured creditors, lenders, commercial landlords, unsecured creditors, and asset purchasers in sophisticated bankruptcy proceedings, out-of-court workouts, foreclosure proceedings, receiverships, and avoidance litigation. Jeffrey also represents commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) special servicers, and other companies, in the enforcement and resolution of commercial real estate mortgage loans, carve-out guaranties and other obligations across the country in the retail, hospitality, multi-family, industrial, and other sectors. As part of his practice, Jeffrey is skilled at handling defense of complex avoidance and bankruptcy litigation claims and represents borrowers, issuers and lenders in connection with commercial loan and capital markets transactions.

In 2019, Jeffrey was appointed to the Local Rules Advisory Committee established by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida, and currently serves as its Co-Chair. 

Jeffrey's undergraduate degree from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, as well as a number of years working in the venture capital group of a multinational corporation, gives him the training and experience to understand sophisticated business and insolvency issues which arise in bankruptcy cases and bankruptcy-related litigation.

Q & A
How do you work collaboratively with other practices in the Firm?
A significant amount of what happens in a bankruptcy is driven by non-bankruptcy law. We are dealing with real businesses, with complex issues. On any one matter I may involve colleagues from Real Estate to Corporate to Litigation — these are colleagues who I know personally and who sit right down the hall. I am not turning to someone from New York who I met at a retreat three years ago. My partners are really my partners.
Are there any lessons from your legal career that influence your work today?
Over the years there have been some cases that surprised me in what we were able to accomplish — cases that I thought were difficult to impossible. But we were able to work something tremendous out, and those cases ended up being valuable experiences for me. I have learned through those experiences, particularly workouts, that even the toughest matter can be solved by pursuing different angles and working creatively and doggedly to get to an outcome.
For which appellate work are you most proud?

I handled major aspects of the Sagamore Hotel bankruptcy. We represented a secured creditor and litigated a contested bankruptcy, a contested confirmation, and side litigation over lender liability issues. The case went through bankruptcy court and was appealed at the federal district court and in the Eleventh Circuit, where we secured a reversal in favor of our client. I primarily wrote the briefs and argued the appeal at the Eleventh Circuit. We turned the tide of the case, and eventually secured a favorable settlement. 

EXPERIENCE
INSIGHTS
CREDENTIALS
  • University of Texas, J.D., with honors, 2005
    University of Pennsylvania, B.S., Economics, The Wharton School, 1999
  • Bankruptcy Bar Association of the Southern District of Florida

    Board of Directors, Director - At Large , 2014 - 2017, 2018 - 2021, 2021 - 2024
    Meetings and Programs Committee Chair, 2012 - 2013

    U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida

    Advisory Committee for The Study of The Local Rules of Practice, Co-Chair, 2023 - 2024
    Advisory Committee on Revision of Local Rules of Practice, 2019

    The Florida Bar
    Business Law Section
    Bankruptcy Judicial Liaison Committee
    Bankruptcy UCC Committee
    National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges
    Next Generation Program, 2012
    Dade County Bar Association
  • Florida
    Texas
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
    U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
    U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
    U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
    U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Middle District of Florida
    U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Florida
    U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Florida
  • Chambers USA, Restructuring & Bankruptcy, 2017- present

    Chambers USA, Restructuring & Bankruptcy, Up and Coming, 2015 - 2016

    Law360, Rising Star - Bankruptcy, 2014

    Florida Super Lawyers, 2017 - present

    Florida Super Lawyers, Rising Stars, 2010 - 2016

    Daily Business Review, Most Effective Lawyers - Complex/Business Litigation finalist, 2016

    Bankruptcy Bar Association, Distinguished Service Award, 2017

    Dade Legal Aid/Put Something Back, Special Recognition Award, 2015

    Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 40 Under 40 Outstanding Lawyers of Miami-Dade County, 2013