Jack Snyder

Jack Snyder is a partner in the firm's Litigation and Motor Vehicle Groups, and is Assistant General Counsel of the firm.

Jack is a trial lawyer, regulatory counselor, strategic advisor, and dealmaker. Jack has emerged as a leader for many of our clients and key project teams. In addition to running several pieces of substantial litigation (among other active cases) for our clients, Jack has also led a team of 10 attorneys on a nationwide program for a major client.

Litigation

While focusing on manufacturer-dealer disputes, Jack has a broad range of experience across the firm’s practice areas. Having started at the firm after a high-stakes career in the government where he handled Senate confirmations, legislation, and Congressional inquiries for the Department of Homeland Security, Jack hit the ground running as a key member of our litigation practice. Jack has tried cases both in court and in an administrative setting, argued dispositive motions in courts across the country, defended witnesses giving testimony in white-collar investigations, and managed cases from pre-litigation counseling through appeal.

• Highlight – Termination Litigation. Jack has handled several dealer termination matters, including in circumstances where dealers have ceased to operate or have otherwise encountered serious financial difficulties. In one recent case, a California dealer protested a notice of termination, despite having failed to operate for weeks. Seeking to resolve the matter before a costly evidentiary hearing, Jack successfully argued a motion to dismiss, obtaining a recommendation from the administrative law judge that the New Motor Vehicle Board dismiss the matter. The Board went on to adopt the administrative law judge’s recommendation, and in adopting the arguments Jack advanced, developed the law in a way that is favorable to manufacturers.
• Highlight – Commercial Landlord-Tenant Litigation. Jack authored the winning brief and successfully argued cross-motions for summary judgment in the first commercial eviction lawsuit in Minnesota to reach a decision in the COVID era. Representing the landlord, the firm defeated the tenant’s defenses of impossibility and frustration of purpose.
• Highlight – Complex Commercial Litigation. Jack was a leading member of the team at Barack Ferrazzano that secured dismissal of all claims against a Firm client in a multi-billion-dollar nationwide lawsuit arising out of the Chicago Tribune leveraged buyout.
• Highlight – Establishment (Add-Point) Litigation. Jack has also handled several add-point cases. In one recent case, Jack was a key member of a trial team in a major case pending in state court in New York. In a bench trial, Jack cross-examined the other side’s damages expert. The judge would go on to reject the expert’s testimony in deciding the case in favor of our client.
• Highlight – Incentives Litigation. In a recent incentives case in federal court between an automotive client and one of its dealers, Jack deposed the dealer principal, chief financial officer, and damages expert. On the strength of the record Jack and our team developed, the court granted summary judgment to our client on several claims.

Strategic Advice, Regulatory Counseling & Performance/Cure Programs

Jack also negotiates and advises on dealer-manufacturer and regulatory disputes in the automotive franchise space across the country, and is a regular source of strategic advice and regulatory counseling for automotive clients and clients in other industries. Jack’s work includes:

• Developing and implementing dealer performance improvement and “cure” programs to address under-performing dealers;
• Assessing risks for national manufacturers and distributors when considering changes to their network plan;
• Designing and advising on incentive programs, performance standards, and network development plans; and
• Working with state and local regulators to facilitate solutions to licensing and permitting disputes.
• Highlight – Licensing Disputes. In a key case for an automotive client, state regulators sought to impose sanctions on the company and several personnel for conducting business in the state without a license. Jack negotiated with the regulators on the company’s behalf, obtaining a dismissal of the citation.

Transactional Work

Jack has handled a substantial number of transactions in the automotive and food-distribution industries, representing manufacturers and distributors. Jack’s work in the automotive industry has facilitated the amicable and voluntary termination of dealerships and the clearing of protest rights so the manufacturer can establish a new dealer and/or realign its local dealer network. Jack has also represented manufacturers in working out approvals for, and rejections of, franchise transfer (dealership buy/sell) agreements. In this work, Jack has served as both lead negotiator and deal architect, designing transaction structures to solve novel problems in a heavily-regulated field subject to a 50-state patchwork of rules.

Education, Prior Experience & Community Involvement

• Jack received his B.A. from Yale University. He joined Barack Ferrazzano after graduating, with honors, from the University of Chicago Law School in 2010.
• Prior to attending law school Jack worked for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Legislative Affairs where he advised senior departmental officials on legislative and communications strategy and the Senate confirmation process. While serving at the Department, he received the Secretary’s Award for Exemplary Service.
• Jack is also involved in community affairs in his hometown of Winnetka, Illinois. Jack has served as the Vice Chair of the Winnetka Caucus Council, a non-profit community organization devoted to citizen participation in local government.

Activities & Honors

• Selected, Crain’s Rising Stars in Law (2021)
• Selected, Illinois Rising Stars, Super Lawyers (2019-2021)
• Selected, 40 & Under Hot List, Benchmark Litigation (2018-2022)