William S. Snyder
Shareholder
Will’s practice focuses on business litigation disputes in which he represents plaintiffs and defendants in matters tried in state and federal courts (including bankruptcy courts) or in arbitrated matters. Will’s clients typically pursue or defend against breach-of-contract claims, breach-of-fiduciary-duty claims, business torts (including securities fraud and other transactional fraud), claims arising from disputes between partners or LLC members or from mergers and acquisitions, legal malpractice claims, claims related to trade secret misappropriation, and ultra vires claims against officers or directors. Many of Will’s cases involve transactions related to securities, real estate, oil & gas, private equity, and intellectual property. Will also prosecutes and defends cases involving product-liability claims. Corporations and individuals have also retained him to defend them in federal white-collar criminal investigations and prosecutions conducted by the Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission, and Environmental Protection Agency. Apart from his trial practice, Will has taken the lead in briefing and arguing cases before the Texas appellate courts, the Supreme Court of Texas, and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation, Securities Litigation, Business Torts, Partnership Disputes, Disputes within Closely-Held Corporations, Legal Malpractice Defense
“In our case, we battled two large, aggressive law firms and a New York hedge fund, and Will was constantly developing positions and making arguments in court that kept us two steps ahead.” - Jim Wikert, CEO, Paradigm Air Carriers, Inc.
“Will's arguments and presentation of evidence in the courtroom outflanked and defeated a competing company’s improper attempt to destroy our company, which we had built through years of hard work.” - Cliff Wallach, CEO, RNK Distributing, Inc.
Representative Cases
- Co-leader of trial team that zeroed out claims against client and co-defendant and obtained $2.7-million judgment on client's and co-defendant's counterclaims in dispute among partners in a limited partnership over development of $35-million apartment complex.
- Successfully argued to Dallas Court of Appeals in defense of legal-malpractice claims seeking over $100 million from Dallas law firm, resulting in affirmation of trial court’s judgment eliminating all claims.
- Successfully argued to Dallas Court of Appeals in defense of breach-of-fiduciary-duty claims seeking several million dollars from national law firm, resulting in affirmation of trial court’s judgment eliminating all claims.
- As lead lawyer for small aviation company, successfully argued 2 summary judgment motions in adversary bankruptcy proceeding, which established breach-of-contract liability against Texas Rangers Baseball Partners and defeated what would’ve been a case-dispositive counterclaim, and which leveraged an $8.25 million settlement (client’s net recoveries were $5 million).
- Obtained no-liability defense verdict for individual defendant in jury trial involving disputes arising from residential real estate development.
- Obtained no-liability defense verdicts for Fortune 100 client in 2 jury trials where plaintiffs brought design-defect and marketing-defect claims seeking millions of dollars in damages in connection with their permanently disabling injuries.
- Led defense of state-court legal malpractice case on behalf of Dallas-based law firm and successfully argued for summary judgment, thereby eliminating claims on which plaintiff’s estimated trial recoveries exceeded $140 million.
- Led defense against libel claims seeking millions of dollars in alleged actual and exemplary damages from individual client and obtained dismissal of case and judgment requiring payment of client’s attorneys’ fees.
Education
Professional Honors and Awards
