Jeffrey C. Schneider

Jeff is an accomplished trial lawyer whose practice focuses on high-stakes business litigation, receiverships, and international arbitration.  Jeff is one of the Firm’s founding partners, and has been the Firm’s Managing Partner since its inception over ten years ago.  Jeff also Chairs the Firm’s Receivership Practice Group.

Jeff has been trying complex, high-risk, eight-and-nine-figure cases in federal and state trial courts, and in arbitration proceedings, for over thirty years.  Jeff has worked on some of the largest fraud cases in history, either as lead trial counsel, as receiver, or as counsel to the receiver.

Jeff has also served as receiver in actions brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and the Office of the Attorney General.  Jeff has been appointed by District Court judges in the Northern District of Alabama, the Northern District of Illinois and the Southern District of Florida, and by state court judges in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.

Throughout the course of his career, Jeff has helped to recover well over $400 million for defrauded victims, including a $104 million recovery in the Mutual Benefits fraud, a $150 million recovery and a $32 million recovery in the Jay Peak fraud, a $54 million recovery in the Woodbridge fraud, and multiple other eight-figure recoveries.  Jeff is known for his creative and passionate approach to litigation, and is considered an expert on Ponzi schemes and fraud cases.

Jeff has been recognized by virtually every publication and peer-review organization that exists, including Chambers USA and The Best Lawyers in America, and has twice received the Daily Business Review’s “Most Effective Lawyer” award (having been nominated four times).  As noted in Chambers USA, Jeff’s peers call him “a shrewd tactician” and praise him for his “creativity,” his “organization,” and his ability “to analyze, distill, and set forth complex issues in a simple, understandable way.”

Jeff is a frequent lecturer in the areas of receivership litigation and commercial litigation and arbitration.

Areas of Experience

• Bankruptcy and Receiverships
• Complex Commercial Litigation
• EB-5 Litigation
• International Litigation & Arbitration
• Securities Litigation
• Title Insurance Litigation

Awards and Recognitions

• Listed in Chambers USA, ranked in the top tier in Florida for both Commercial Litigation and Bankruptcy/Receiverships, 2021-2023 Editions.
• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, again, in both Commercial Litigation and Bankruptcy/Receiverships, 2013-2023 Editions.
• Received Miami Daily Business Review‘s “Distinguished Leader” Award, 2022.
• Received South Florida Business Journal’s “Top Lawyer” Award, 2021.
• Listed in America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators, representing less than one-half percent of active attorneys in the United States.
• Listed in Florida Super Lawyers, 2022 Edition, as a “Top 100” lawyer in the State of Florida.
• Received Miami Daily Business Review “2017 Most Effective Lawyers” award in the area of receiverships and receivership litigation.
• Received Miami Daily Business Review “2005 Most Effective Lawyers” award in the area of class action litigation.
• Finalist for Miami Daily Business Review “2007 Most Effective Lawyers” award in the area of bankruptcy and receiverships.
• Finalist for Miami Daily Business Review “2010 Most Effective Lawyers” award in the area of complex business litigation.
• Named one of “12 to Watch in 2012” by Attorney at Law
• Listed in Florida Trend’s Florida Legal Elite, 2004-2023 Editions, representing the top 2% of the 54,000 Florida Bar Members.
• Listed in the South Florida Legal Guide’s “Top Lawyers” list, 2009-2023 Editions.
• Listed in Florida Super Lawyers, 2006-2023 Editions, representing the top 5% of Florida attorneys.
• Listed in Who’s Who Among Executives and Professionals, Honors Edition.
• Listed in South Florida’s Top Rated Lawyers list, 2012-2023 Editions.
• Martindale-Hubbell “AV” Rated (the highest available rating).
• Senior Editor of The Florida Law Review.
• Recipient of the Achievement Award in Scholarship from the University of Florida School of Law.
• Authored the article, “Recently enacted Federal Legislation Providing Moral Rights to Visual Artists,” published in “The Florida Law Review,” Vol. 43, No.1, January 1991.

Significant Representations and Appointments

Receivership Work

• Jay Peak, Inc. and Q Resorts – Special counsel to the receiver in the largest EB-5 fraud in the history of the United States, involving more than 800 foreign investors owed in excess of $400 million. Helped to secure a $150 million recovery from Raymond James.
• Terminix – Appointed by the Office of the Attorney General to serve as receiver over a $25 million settlement fund to be distributed to over 14,000 consumers in the State of Alabama.
• Fume – Appointed by the Honorable Michael Hanzman to serve as equity receiver over one of the largest distributors of vaping products in the United States. The action is currently pending in Miami-Dade County, Florida.
• Florida Immigration Building Funding – Special trial counsel to the receiver in a $50 million EB-5 fraud. The action is currently pending in Miami-Dade County, Florida.
• Argyle – Appointed by the Securities and Exchange Commission to serve as a Federal equity receiver. The action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
• Philip Milton – Appointed by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to serve as a Federal equity receiver in a $25 million fraud.  The action was pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.  Testified at the CFTC’s trial on damages, after which the District Court Judge adopted my recommendations.
• Trade-LLC – Appointed by the Securities and Exchange Commission to serve as a Federal equity receiver. The action was pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.  Brought a number of fraudulent transfer and “claw-back” lawsuits and located, marshalled, secured, seized, and liquidated homes, apartments, cars, jewelry, and other valuables.
• Inbound Call Experts – Appointed by the Federal Trade Commission and the Office of the Attorney General to serve as a Federal equity receiver. The entities in receivership generated over $100 million from thousands of consumers.  At the time of appointment, Inbound Call employed over 500 employees from two locations in South Florida and provided technical support services in the Philippines, the Dominican Republic, and Honduras.  Thereafter appointed as Federal Monitor for two years to monitor compliance with Permanent Injunction.
• Troth Solutions, Inc. – Appointed by the Federal Trade Commission and the Office of the Attorney General to serve as a Federal equity receiver. The action was filed in the Northern District of Alabama.
• PC Help Desk US – Appointed by the Federal Trade Commission and the Office of the Attorney General to serve as a Federal equity receiver. The action was filed in the United States District for the Northern District of Illinois.
• Go Ready Calls Marketing – Appointed by the Office of the Attorney General to serve as equity receiver. The action is currently pending in Palm Beach County, Florida.  Helped to recover over $7 million from Banc of America Merchant Services, representing a full recovery to all affected consumers.
• American Plumbing – Appointed by the Office of the Attorney General to serve as equity receiver. The action is currently pending in Calhoun County, Alabama.
• Learn More Media – Appointed by the Office of the Attorney General to serve as equity receiver. The action is currently pending in Broward County, Florida.
• American Precious Metals – Lead trial counsel to the receiver of a precious metals boiler room. The action was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.  The action was initiated by the Federal Trade Commission.
• The Dolce Group – Lead trial counsel to the receiver of a fraudulent boiler room. The action was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.  The action was initiated by the Federal Trade Commission.
• Amante – Lead trial counsel to the receiver of a fraudulent boiler room. The action was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.  The action was initiated by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
• Mutual Benefits Corporation – Represented class representatives in a class action filed in the Mutual Benefits receivership proceeding pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. After less than one year of litigation, the court returned $104 million dollars to the class representatives and all members of the class.
• Viatical Capital, Inc. – Lead trial counsel to the receiver of Viatical Capital, Inc. and its affiliates arising out of their fraudulent sale of $59 million in securities. This action was filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
• Ameritel Payphone Distributors, Inc. – Lead trial counsel to the receiver of Ameritel Payphone Distributors, Inc. The action was pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.  The action was initiated by the Federal Trade Commission.   Schneider worked closely with the Federal Trade Commission and the Assistant United States Attorney, resulting in a criminal conviction against the principal protagonist of the fraud.
• USA Beverages, Inc. – Lead trial counsel to the receiver of USA Beverages, Inc. arising out of its violation of federal law. The action was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.  The action was initiated by the Federal Trade Commission.
• Nationwide Connections, Inc. – Lead trial counsel to the receiver of Nationwide Connections, Inc. arising out of its violation of federal law. The action was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.  The action was initiated by the Federal Trade Commission.
• Medco, Inc. – Lead trial counsel to the receiver of Medco, Inc. in several actions arising out of its fraudulent sale of securities pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The Court returned over $5 million to defrauded investors.   Schneider worked closely with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Assistant United States Attorney, resulting in a criminal conviction against the principal protagonist of the fraud.
• Bridgeport and Associates, Inc. – Lead trial counsel to the receiver of Bridgeport and several affiliates in several actions arising out of a shut-down of these entities by the Federal Trade Commission pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
• SunState FX, Inc. – Lead trial counsel for the receiver of SunState in several actions arising out of SunState’s securities fraud in South Florida pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.  The Court returned several millions of dollars to defrauded investors.  Mr. Schneider worked closely with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Assistant United States Attorney, resulting in a criminal conviction against a principal protagonist of the fraud.