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Biography

Sheryl represents businesses in complex litigation. He has tried securities, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, RICO, breach of contract and accounting malpractice cases, and has litigated several significant antitrust, trademark, and tortious interference cases for a variety of businesses.

Sheryl is also “the state’s premier appellate lawyer” according to Chambers USA®.  He has made the appellate oral argument in more than 50 reported decisions, including the Oklahoma City bombing civil litigation. He has argued in the Third, Fourth, Sixth, Seventh, Tenth and Eleventh Circuits.  He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers and a Life Member of the Sixth Circuit Judicial Conference. Sheryl is co-author (with 2 FBT colleagues) of the treatise Appellate Practice, Vol. 19 Kentucky Practice (Thomson/West).

Sheryl has also represented seven Governors of Kentucky, of both political parties, in significant constitutional litigation involving the separation of governmental powers and campaign finance.

He has served on the firm’s Executive Committee, and as Chair of the litigation department and appellate practice group. Prior to joining Frost Brown Todd LLC in 1994, he was Executive Vice President and General Counsel of ICH Corporation, an insurance holding company.

Sheryl is a Past President of both the Kentucky and Louisville Bar Associations. He served as Editor-in-Chief of the Kentucky Law Journal (1970-71) and law clerk to Honorable M. C. Matthes, Chief Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (1971-73).

Sheryl serves on the board of directors of the Louisville Zoo and has served on the boards of directors of numerous community organizations including, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Metro United Way, the Louisville Orchestra and Leadership Kentucky.

Sheryl's Relevant Experience

Business Litigation

Sheryl has litigated several complex business disputes during his over forty years of experience, including significant antitrust, securities fraud, RICO, trademark, copyright, unfair competition and tortious interference cases.

His experience as lead trial counsel includes a 6-week trial in Yung v. Grant Thornton LLP (Ky. state court), a 4-week trial in TBK Partners v. ICH Corporation (W.D. Ky.) (Rule 10b-5), a 3-week jury trial in Goodman v. Fuller (E.D. Ky.) (fiduciary duty), a 3-week trial in USACO Co. v. Carbomin Energy, Inc. (W.D. Ky.) (RICO), and a 1-week trial in Tennessee state court (secondary offering of securities), as well as local counsel in a 3-week jury trial in Ventas, Inc. v. HCP, Inc. (tortious interference).

He has represented utilities in regulatory and contract matters in the trial and appellate courts. He argued the post-Kodak market definition antitrust issues to the Third Circuit for a class of franchisees against Domino’s Pizza, Inc.  He brought trademark infringement claims for Churchill Downs Incorporated.  He successfully defended Bank One against lender liability claims.

Sheryl is listed in the first tier of Kentucky commercial litigators in Chambers® Clients Guide. He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America® in business litigation since its inaugural edition in 1984 and is currently listed in both business litigation and appellate.  He is a Fellow of both the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers and Litigation Counsel of America.

He is a co-author of ABA Antitrust Section, Monograph No. 19, The Noerr-Pennington Doctrine (1993) and is co-author (with 2 FBT partners) of Appellate Practice, Vol. 19 Kentucky Practice (Thomson/West 2007).

Appellate

Sheryl has made the appellate oral argument in 50 reported decisions, including the Oklahoma City bombing civil litigation. He has argued in the Third, Fourth, Sixth, Seventh, Tenth and Eleventh Circuits, the Supreme Courts of Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia and the Courts of Appeals of Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri.

He is co-author (with 2 FBT colleagues) of the treatise Appellate Practice, Vol. 19 Kentucky Practice (Thomson/West 2007). He authored A Comment on the Litigation Strategy, Judicial Politics and Political Context Which Produced Grudder and Gratz, 92 Ky. L.J. 241 (2003), and The Separation of Governmental Powers Under the Constitution of Kentucky: A Legal and Historical Analysis of LRC v. Brown, 73 Ky. L.J. 165 (1984).

Chambers USA,® America’s Leading Business Lawyers’ lists Sheryl in its top tier of business litigators in Kentucky. Quoting clients and peers describing him, Chambers profiles Sheryl from previous years as follows:

“According to one impressed source, he has also ‘shown a great ability to grasp the facts of our critical case and understand our business very quickly.’” (2012)

“‘Constitutional scholar’ Sheryl Snyder is ‘experienced in complex strategy and handling political developments,’ and widely agreed to be ‘the state’s premier appellate lawyer.’” (2006)

“Commentators regard Sheryl Snyder as one of the most respected attorneys in the state at appellate and trial level.” (2008)

“One of the best-known litigators in the state, Sheryl Snyder is ‘an exceptional oral advocate. . . .’” (2007)

“‘[S]killed and combative’ Sheryl Snyder has a high profile . . . . Peers admired his ‘incredible ability to get his mind around the issues.’” (2003)

“Interviewees endorsed veteran Sheryl Snyder for ‘excellent judgment and a results-oriented approach’ that drives his reputation in high-profile government and constitutional cases . . . .”

“Renowned as an experienced appellate lawyer and a ‘great strategic analyst . . . .’” (2004)

“Sheryl Snyder . . . gathered a good volume of client approval this year underscoring his reputation as a ‘talented constitutional and high-stakes business lawyer . . . .’” (2005)

Other Info About Sheryl

Education

Law School

University of Kentucky College of Law, J.D., 1971

Graduate School

University of Kentucky, B.A., 1968

Undergraduate School

 

Bar Memberships

Sheryl is licensed to practice in the following state(s):

Kentucky, 1971

Tennessee, 1989

Texas, 1994

Missouri, 1994

Courts

Sheryl is admitted to practice before the following court(s):

U.S. Supreme Court

Supreme Court of Kentucky

Supreme Court of Missouri

Supreme Court of Tennessee

Supreme Court of Texas

U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Third Circuit

U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit

U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit

U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

Recognition

Local & National Recognition

Hall of Fame, University of Kentucky College of Law, Member, 2018

Selected for inclusion in Kentucky Super Lawyers®, 2007-2016, 2020; “Top 50 in Kentucky,” 2016

The Best Lawyers in America®, 2003-2019; “Lawyer of the Year,” Appellate Practice 2018

Chambers USA, Litigation: General Commercial, 2012-2021

American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, Fellow

Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow

AV® Rated, Martindale-Hubbell®

Professional Affiliations

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

Kentucky Bar Association, former President

Louisville Bar Association, former President

Bars of the Supreme Courts of the United States, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas, and the United States Courts of Appeals for the Third, Fourth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Tenth and Eleventh Circuits

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