About Stephen J. Snyder
Stephen J. Snyder focuses his practice on business and general litigation, including employment law matters. He has had extensive litigation experience, including jury and bench trials in both federal and state courts and in arbitration proceedings. He represents both individuals and companies.
Steve received his J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1972. He received his B. Physics with high distinction from the University of Minnesota, where he was selected for Phi Beta Kappa. After his graduation from law school, Steve tried approximately 300 courts- martial over a three year period as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps. While on active duty, he continued his formal education with graduate-level courses in financial management at The George Washington University.
Steve is best known for his work as lead counsel in class-action age discrimination suits brought against The First American Corporation, Best Buy Co., Supervalu Inc., Siemens Corporation, Lennox Industries, Monsanto Co., Svedala Industries, IDS Financial Services, and others. Since 1992, Steve has secured recoveries in employment discrimination cases totaling more than $100 million, with an average recovery per plaintiff at nearly $600,000. Snyder Attorneys, P.A. is currently prosecuting such a multiple – plaintiff case against Accenture LLP in Federal Court in Minneapolis.
In September 2006, Steve was inducted as a Fellow into the American College of Trial Lawyers. Since 1995, he has been included as one of the The Best Lawyers in American in Commercial Litigation and Employment Law. He is also regularly listed as one of Minnesota’s Super Lawyers in Employment Law by the publication Law & Politics.
In addition to his work on employment law cases, Steve has handled and tried a spectrum of other business law cases, including contract disputes, non-compete restrictions, trade secret claims, breach of warranty and other commercial sales disputes, claims for lost profits, mechanics liens, environmental matters, antitrust claims, private securities issues, and condemnation proceedings. Steve also represents individuals and companies who seek to negotiate a resolution of a dispute without litigation.
Steve practiced for many years as a partner with the Twin Cities law firms Gray Plant Mooty Mooty & Bennett and Winthrop & Weinstine. In July 2007, shortly after resolving another significant lawsuit, Steve and Brent Snyder decided to open the new law firm Snyder Attorneys, P.A.
Steve is admitted to practice before the Minnesota State and Federal Courts, the United States Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. He has been admitted to practice pro hac vice in several other courts from coast to coast.
Steve has also been active in this community outside of his legal practice. Stemming from his love for the natural environment, Steve has served as Chair for the Sierra Club’s North Star Chapter and for the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, as a Board Member of the Minnesota Center for a Environmental Advocacy, and currently as a Board Member for Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness. Steve and his wife Cindy are active members of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis.
Steve’s Recent Publications & Presentations include:
“Age Discrimination in Employment Act,” MSBA Labor & Employment Law News, quarterly updates 2001-present.
“Age Discrimination Update (Including the New Cases before the U.S. Supreme Court),” MSBA Employment Law Institute, 2008.
“Advanced Trial Practice: Deposition Method Strategies and Questions,” MSBA Employment Law Institute, 2008.
“Applying Rule 1 in the Information Age,” The Sedona Conference Journal (complex litigation), 2003.