Mr. Snyder is the firm's senior partner. He is arguably the most successful trial lawyer in Maryland and the District of Columbia, having settled and received medical malpractice and complex business fraud verdicts totaling hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars during his career. In fact, several of his victories were the largest settlements and/or verdicts at the time they were awarded. A most recent trial victory was a $276 million verdict in March of 2002 against First Union National Bank (now Wachovia) after a two-month trial.
Mr. Snyder and his partners also recently represented the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in a lawsuit against Ernst & Young involving a multibillion-dollar bank failure. The FDIC recovered $125 million from Ernst & Young in that case. Other major victories include a $185 million settlement for the Merry-Go-Round bankruptcy estate, a settlement valued at $106 million in a claim against United Cable and a $25 million verdict against Bell Atlantic Mobile Systems Inc.
Mr. Snyder was awarded the highest lawyer rating by Martindale Hubbell. Recently, The National Law Journal [6/10/02], named him one of the Nation's Top Litigators in an article entitled "The Art of the Win: Ten of the Nation's Top Litigators Talk About What it Takes to Win." He was also featured on the cover of Baltimore Magazine as "Master of Malpractice Universe." In a survey of other Maryland lawyers, Mr. Snyder was voted one of Maryland's "Super Lawyers."
Mr. Snyder served as Commencement Speaker at the University of Baltimore Law School's May 2000 graduation ceremony where his son, Michael, was a member of the graduating class. He has been selected as one of 13 alumni for induction in the University of Baltimore School of Law's 2003 Legacy for Excellence in Litigation. This award recognizes alumni as members of the inaugural class of this "Hall of Fame" whose lifework within the legal community exemplifies noteworthy service and exceptional professional achievement in courtroom advocacy. Additionally, Mr. Snyder recently received the University of Baltimore Alumni Association award as the 2003 Alumnus of the Year Award from the School of Law.
Mr. Snyder has been named by the Daily Record as one of 24 Marylanders to receive the 2003 Leadership in Law award. This award was created by the Daily Record to recognize the good work and deeds done by members of the legal community throughout Maryland. Recipients have devoted time and energy to bettering the legal profession and the communities in which they live and work and have also served by mentoring future professional and community leaders.
In 2002, Mr. Snyder was the recipient of the Distinguished Leadership Award from P'Tach of Baltimore, a nationally renowned organization providing special education for children with learning disabilities. He was also the recipient of the 2002 Humanitarian Award from the Baltimore Zionist District, representing both Israel and the United States in the pursuit of freedom and democratic values throughout the world.
Mr. Snyder takes great pride in being able to give back to his community as a philanthropist. His recent philanthropic efforts include a $1 million endowment for the establishment of the Stephen L. Snyder Center for Litigation Skills at the University of Baltimore School of Law in May 2000. Additionally, the funds contributed by Mr. Snyder lead directly to the renovations to the “Mock Courtroom” at the University of Baltimore School of Law in 2005. He is a predominant contributor to the Francis D. Murnaghan Jr. Appellate Advocacy Fellowship which provides an annual fellowship for former appellate law clerks to work on appeals involving civil rights and social justice impact litigation in the federal and state courts in Maryland.
Mr. Snyder donated $2.5 million to United Cerebral Palsy, the nation's leading charity serving children and adults with Cerebral Palsy. The donation will assist in the renovation of existing UCP locations, as well as the creation of a brand new state-of-the-art facility which will provide the most advanced services for those with this disability.
Mr. Snyder is an annual Presenting Sponsor of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation Golf Classic, raising money for those afflicted with juvenile diabetes, and those who care for and assist them.
In 2003, Mr. Snyder joined forces with the Center for Poverty Solutions by becoming the "Matching Gift Challenge Sponsor" of the 16th Annual Lawyers' Campaign Against Hunger. Mr. Snyder is challenging all lawyers across the state to give generously to the campaign as he will match dollar for dollar all donations made. He also issued a similar match challenge on behalf of the Lawyers' Campaign for CollegeBound.
Mr. Snyder has taught numerous courses on the topic of trial practice, culminating in his founding of his Center for Litigation Skills at the University of Baltimore School of Law. His cases have been cited in various national law journals, as well as referenced in the periodicals of the Maryland Trial Lawyers Association and the American Trial Lawyers Association. His closing arguments and cross-examinations have appeared in legal textbooks as examples of effective and guiding trial practice.
Mr. Snyder, a member of the University of Baltimore Law School Advisory Council, has been honored by the University of Baltimore for establishing the Stephen L. Snyder Fund for Law Library and Technology, as well as for being an active and long-standing supporter of the University.
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