Jeffrey I. Snyder

Partner & General Counsel

305-375-6148

jsnyder@bilzin.com

Area of Focus: Business Finance & Restructuring, Litigation

"[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

GET TO KNOW JEFF

Jeffrey’s deep knowledge of bankruptcy and debtor credit laws and previous work as a financial analyst bring a wealth of business and legal insight to his practice. He guides landlords, secured and unsecured creditors, bankruptcy trustees, receivers, debtors, asset purchasers and others through a broad range of bankruptcy matters, receivership proceedings and out-of-court restructuring and workouts.

In 2019, Jeffrey was appointed to the Local Rules Advisory Committee established by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Jeffrey also enjoys appellate work, handling chiefly bankruptcy appeals in federal court. He argued in front of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit on behalf of a secured creditor in the Sagamore Hotel bankruptcy case. Jeffrey secured a decisive victory with a reversal in the case.

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

Education

University of Texas, J.D., with honors, 2005

University of Pennsylvania, B.S., Economics, The Wharton School, 1999
Involvement

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 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
Bar Admissions

Florida

Texas

Court Admissions

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
Awards/Honors

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

PRACTICES