Firm Overview

The Law Offices of Chad A. Snyder are dedicated to providing high-quality representation to legal disputes of all sizes and shapes. There will always be big law firms ready and eager to take on the multi-million dollar cases. But not every case is big enough to justify the expense of a big firm. Most cases are measured in the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, not in millions. Or they can't be measured at all because they involve something as close, as personal, as invaluable as our families. The dollar value may be smaller, but those cases - your cases - and the stories behind them are as big and as important to you as those multi-million dollar fights are to the companies waging them. You should have a lawyer who understands that, and who will hear and understand your story, make sense of all the rules and procedures, and help you reach a fair and just result.

I want to be that lawyer.

That's why, after years of practicing at one of the best complex litigation firms in the nation, I opened this firm. I am committed to bringing to your legal problems the skills and experience I gained litigating complex disputes at a big firm, but also the attention of a counselor at law who will take the opportunity to understand the impact your case is having on your life or business, as well as the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of a small firm.

 

Attorney Profile

I graduated from the University of Iowa College of law with Highest Distinction, and earned my Bachelor's at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, graduating cum laude. Before law school, I worked for a few years as a newspaper editor and reporter, and I find that the skills I developed as a reporter -- uncovering the truth, reporting stories in a way that is compelling and easy to understand -- serve me quite well as a lawyer.

I love the practice of law. I enjoy getting to know my clients, understanding what brought them to my door, finding a solution to their legal problems. And I deeply appreciate the opportunity to give voice to your story, to stand in your corner. There is no job I would rather do.  

Outside the office, my wife and I enjoy the Guthrie and the local music scene. I also watch what some might describe as a ridiculous amount of television, practice jujitsu, try my hand at woodworking when it's warm enough to go out to the garage, and do what I can to keep the weeds from completely taking over the flower beds in my back yard.

Areas of Practice

My firm is a general practice for the frank and simple reason that practically every area of law interests me. If you have a legal problem, I'd like to hear about it and help you solve it. Still, over time my practice -- like most -- has tended to focus on a few broad areas:

Commercial Litigation I represent both plaintiffs and defendants in a range of commercial and financial disputes, including consumer protection and consumer fraud, employment matters, ERISA, enforcement of non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, securities fraud, and lending law.

Insurance Much of my practice has been devoted to disputes over the terms of insurance policies. These cases include litigation of coverage for property damage and business losses and for claims under general liability and errors and omissions policies. Having represented both insurance companies and insurance purchasers, I have an in-depth understanding of how insurance policies are designed and applied to an array of losses and claims. I will use that experience to efficiently provide you with an assessment of the coverage issues presented by your case, and to craft creative resolutions to those issues.

Family Law My emphasis here has been helping resolve disputes related to children, including custody, visitation and child support. I bring to these often emotional cases an understanding and calm approach to the legal process, as well as a sincere respect for the rights and needs of your children. Over the last 20 years, I have spent countless hours working with and getting to know children from all walks of life and circumstances, not only as a lawyer, but also as a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters, a swimming teacher, a Sunday school teacher, a counselor and as a volunteer. In recent years, I have worked often with the Children's Law Center of Minnesota to represent children in the foster care system. Courts do their best to look out for the best interests of children. My goal, as your lawyer, is to do everything I can to help you help the court understand what "best interests" means for your son or daughter.

Adoption Not all family law is about conflict. Sometimes, it is about bringing new families together. It is always a pleasure and a privilege to help build a family, and I can help you navigate the legal technicalities of the adoption process so you can focus instead on what matters -- your relationship with your new child.

Results


Recovering Retirement Savings: When a retired couple came to me after losing much of their retirement savings to a fraudulent investment scheme, I filed suit against the man who had misled them into the investments. The suit promptly pressured the defendant to negotiate a settlement in which he promised to repay all of the money he took.

Insuring Insurance Policies Mean Something:  Autumn storms flooded my clients' basement, leaving them with thousands of dollars in charges to clean and repair the damage. Their insurance company steadfastly refused to pay any share of the loss until I filed a lawsuit demanding that the company honor its promises under the insurance contract. Only then did the insurer agree to pay for several thousand dollars of the damage.

A Family's Fresh Start:   After years of abuse and intimidation, my client took her children and left her husband. I went to court and got a protective order to keep the husband from harassing, threatening or harming her or the children. When the divorce case went to trial, I persuaded the judge to divide the parties' debts and assets in a way that gave my client a fresh start on her new life, and to limit the husband's contact with the children to supervised visits so they could keep a relationship with their father while protecting their physical and emotional safety.

Bringing Parties to the Table:   A client was forced to sue a former business partner to get him to repay a loan. The business partner tried to avoid his obligations by filing a counter-suit. After I persuaded the court to dismiss the counter-suit with prejudice, the partner finally sat down and negotiated a settlement in which he agreed to pay my client several hundred thousand dollars.

Enforcing Contract Terms: About a year after taking out a loan from my client, borrowers decided they no longer liked the terms of the loan and sued to try to have the agreement rescinded. I filed a motion to have their claims dismissed, which was granted by the federal court. The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal, twice.

Defending Client Integrity: A client that manufactures steel-frame buildings was sued when components of a building didn't arrive as quickly as a customer had hoped they would. I convinced the court to dismiss the plaintiff's claims which had included breach of contract and fraud because there was no evidence to show my client did anything wrong, that it had made any inaccurate promises or that it had breached its contract.

Resources

Divorce proceedings involve a significant amount of family and financial information. Your case can be more efficiently evaluated and filed if that information is gathered early and in one place. Please download this form and fill it out as completely as possible.
Download Dissolution Questionairre

Under Minnesota's child support statutes, courts require a financial affidavit from each parent. The state has created this form for use in child support proceedings. Please fill it out as completely as possible. I will assist you with any questions you are not sure how to answer.
Child Support Affidavit