Education
- Drexel University (B.S., summa cum laude)
- Drexel University (M.B.A.)
- Temple University School of Law (J.D.)
Bar and Court Admissions
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- Delaware
- New York
- United States Supreme Court
Bradford J. Sandler
Brad Sandler is a distinguished figure in bankruptcy law and complex reorganizations, celebrated for his extensive expertise and innovative approach to finding value-maximizing solutions to financially distressed situations. As a prominent member of PSZJ's management and long-term planning committees, and co-chair of its renowned committee practice group, Brad has built a reputation as a leading authority in efficiently handling financially distressed situations in and out of court across the United States.
With over 25 years of experience, Brad is a trusted advisor to a wide range of clients, including debtors, equity holders, creditors' committees, acquirers, and fiduciaries such as directors, receivers, and trustees. His career is marked by a commitment to delivering exceptional results in some of the most challenging bankruptcy and restructuring situations.
Brad’s outstanding achievements have earned him widespread recognition within the legal community. Business Insider named him one of the top sixteen bankruptcy lawyers in the United States, and he consistently receives top rankings from leading legal rating organizations, including Chambers USA, Lawdragon’s “500 Leading Global Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers,” International Financial Law Review’s “IFLR1000” for Bankruptcy & Restructuring, Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, and Martindale-Hubbell, which has bestowed upon him its “AV Preeminent Peer Rating”—the highest accolade for ethical standards and legal ability.
Chambers USA, which ranks Brad in its highest “band,” highlights his deep expertise in complex chapter 11 proceedings, noting the following:
“He's exceptionally good at what he does and is unbelievably hard-working”
“He's a superb bankruptcy lawyer.”
“Brad is a pleasure to work with, he's practical, down-to-earth and a problem-solver."
He’s a “creative, calm, effective lawyer” who is also “quick, smart, and aggressive.”
He’s able to “blend traditional legal skills with commercial negotiating and business acumen.”
Brad’s innovative and aggressive representations have been instrumental in maximizing recoveries for creditors and equity holders across diverse industries, including retail, food and hospitality, entertainment, energy, real estate, financial services, technology, and manufacturing. His recent high-profile committee representations include SunPower, Conn’s, Red Lobster, Bed Bath & Beyond, Party City, Cyxtera, David’s Bridal, Cineworld, Washington Prime Group, FedNat Holdings, Sungard, Ascena, J Crew, Ditech Holdings, Corsicana Bedding, Rockdale Marcellus, and the Woodbridge Group. Notably, he served as lead counsel in the LifeCare Hospital cases, achieving a substantial recovery for unsecured creditors and setting a new precedent in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals with a groundbreaking “class skipping” decision. Many of his cases have won awards from prestigious organizations, such as the Turnaround Management Association, M&A Advisors, and the Global M&A Network.
While Brad acknowledges that bankruptcy is an important tool for addressing financial difficulties, he advocates for it as a last resort. Many of his company-side representations have involved nonpublic distressed situations, during which he successfully worked to restructure the challenged capital structure, avoiding a formal insolvency proceeding.
In addition to serving his clients, Brad is actively involved in national organizations and frequently speaks on insolvency-related topics at conferences hosted by the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, University of Pennsylvania (Wharton Restructuring and Distressed Investing Conference), the American Bankruptcy Institute, the International Bar Association, the Turnaround Management Association, the Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors, the American Bar Association, the Credit Research Foundation, and the National Association of Credit Managers, among others. He is also a prolific author, contributing insightful articles on insolvency issues, serves on the editorial board of Bankruptcy Law360, and has been interviewed by numerous publications, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, NPR, the Legal Intelligencer, Law360, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Boston Globe, Business Insider, the Athletic (a New York Times company), the New York Post, and Women’s Wear Daily (WWD).
Brad’s practice actively reflects a results-oriented blend of legal expertise, commercial acumen, creative problem-solving, and a steadfast commitment to achieving value-maximizing outcomes for his clients, solidifying his status as a leader in insolvency and complex reorganizations.
Representations
Red Lobster, Bed Bath & Beyond, Party City, Cyxtera, David’s Bridal, Cineworld, Washington Prime Group, FedNat Holdings, Sungard, Ascena Retail Group (Ann Taylor), J.Crew, Ditech Holding Corporation, Corsicana Bedding, Rockdale Marcellus, the Woodbridge Group of Companies
Professional Affiliations
- Bankr. S.D.TX Complex Case Committee (Appointed Member)
- Bankr. E.D.VA Ch. 11 Mega Case Local Rules Advisory Committee (Appointed Member)
- Bankr. D.N.J. Local Rules Committee (Appointed Member)
- Past-Chair, Business Reorganization Committee, ABI
- Board, Settlement Music School
- Board, Mendelsohn Club of Philadelphia
- Board, Women’s Christian Alliance
- Board, Philadelphia Art Alliance
- President, Musical Fund Hall Condo Association (Philadelphia)
- President, Toscana North Condo Association (Florida)
- Council Member, Lincoln Center Business Council
- Life member, American Bankruptcy Institute
- Member, Turnaround Management Association
- Member, Association for Corporate Growth
- Member, International Federation of Insolvency Practitioners (INSOL)
- Member, Delaware Bankruptcy American Inn of Court
- Member, Law360 Bankruptcy Editorial Board (2020)
Programs and Lectures
National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, American Bankruptcy Institute, Turnaround Management Association, Wharton Restructuring and Distressed Investing Conference, International Bar Association, National Association of Credit Managers, Credit Research Foundation, Association of Insolvency & Restructuring Advisors, Temple University School of Law (adjunct professor of law), Hildebrandt Institute, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, New York State Bar Association, Eastern District of Pennsylvania Bankruptcy Conference, Philadelphia Bar Association (among others)News
- Restaurant Dive, November 4, 2024
- October 24, 2024
- Law360, September 17, 2024
- August 15, 2024
- IFLR1000, July 31, 2024
- June 28, 2024
- Lawdragon, June 14, 2024
- June 4, 2024
- January 2024
- August 17, 2023
- Lawdragon, June 16, 2023
- Chambers Global, Chambers USA, June 1, 2023
- August 18, 2022
- August 2022
- Insider, August 5, 2022
- Chambers USA, Chambers Global, June 1, 2022
- Lawdragon, January 14, 2022
- September 2021
- September 2021
- Credit Research Foundation, August 2021
- August 19, 2021
- May 20, 2021
- January 2021
- August 20, 2020
- April 23, 2020
- The Hollywood Reporter, April 9, 2020
- August 15, 2019
- April 25, 2019
- November 7, 2018
- August 15, 2018
- Tenth Annual International M&A AwardsMay 2018
- May 7, 2018
- October 11, 2017
- October 2, 2017
- August 15, 2017
- PSZJ Bulletin, July 2017
- May 5, 2017
- September 15, 2016
- August 2016
- The Deal, April 18, 2016
- 2016 Holds Opportunities for Resourceful Distressed InvestorsFebruary 2016
- January 7, 2016
- August 17, 2015
- May 19, 2015
- August 2014
- Philadelphia Magazine, June 2014
- February 2014
- December 2012
- November 30, 2011
Publications
- Creditor Rights Coalition, 2024
- Thomson Reuters Practical Law, March 7, 2023
- Practical Law, July 2020
- 262 New York Law Journal No. 59, September 23, 2019
- Journal of Corporate RenewalMay 9, 2017
- 30 Journal of Corporate Renewal 16 (Jan/Feb 2017)
- 30 Journal of Corporate Renewal 3 (Jan/Feb 2017)
- Journal of Corporate Renewal, February 2015
- Absolute Priority BlogMarch 23, 2010
- Absolute Priority BlogMarch 20, 2010
- Coauthor, "Suggested Amendments to US Bankruptcy Code," Law360 (February 3, 2009)
- Coauthor,"'Decoupling' Issues in Bankruptcy," Business Bankruptcy Newsletter (ABA Business Law Section January 2009)
- Author, "Corporate Guidance in M&A Transactions From Chancery Court," 8 Delaware Law Weekly No. 36 (Sept. 14, 2005)
- Coauthor, "Statutory Employer Immunity Under Pennsylvania Law," Pennsylvania Bar Quarterly (Winter 1998)
- Coauthor, Statutory Employer Immunity in Tort Cases Involving Work-Related Injuries, Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association Pub. No. 148-1997 (1997)
- Coauthor, "Recent Significant Case Decisions Involving Design Professionals," in program materials for 36th Annual Meeting of Invited Attorneys (Schinnerer & Co. 1997)
- Regular law columnist for the monthly national magazine, The Construction Specifier
- Author, "Alcan Revisited: Does the Denial of a De Minimis Defense Help Achieve a 'Polluter's Pay' Policy?" 8 Temple Environmental Law & Technology Journal 141 (1994)
Events
- AIRA Annual Advanced Restructuring and Plan of Reorganization ConferenceNew York, NY, November 18, 2024
- IFA 2024 Legal SymposiumWashington, DC, May 7, 2024
- ABI Annual Spring MeetingWashington, DC, April 20, 2024
- The Bar Association of the City of Richmond’s Bankruptcy SectionRichmond, VA, January 23, 2024
- International Bar Association (IBA) Annual ConferenceParis, November 2, 2023
- ABI VALCON 2023New Orleans, May 2, 2023
- New York Institute of Credit Fall ProgramNew York, October 27, 2022
- AIRA 38th Annual Bankruptcy & Restructuring ConferenceCleveland, June 8, 2022
- 48th Annual Southeastern Bankruptcy Law InstituteAtlanta, March 24, 2022
- 48th Annual Southeastern Bankruptcy Law InstituteAtlanta, March 23, 2022
- Credit Research FoundationAugust 2021
- Wharton Restructuring and Distressed Investing Conference 2021: The COVID Credit Cycle - A New ParadigmZoom, April 9, 2021
- National Association of Credit ManagementWebinar, June 24, 2020
- VALCON 2019: Cutting Edge Valuation SolutionsLas Vegas, February 28, 2019
- National Consumer Products Credit GroupPhoenix, February 21, 2019
- National Association of Credit Management Central Region Credit ConferenceSt. Louis, September 13, 2017
- National Association of Credit Management National Home Centers Credit GroupKansas City MO, May 16, 2017
- American College of Bankruptcy First Circuit Fellows and Boston College of Law SchoolBoston, March 31, 2017
- 12th Annual American Bankruptcy Institute Mid-Atlantic Bankruptcy WorkshopCambridge MD, August 5, 2016
- National Conference of Bankruptcy JudgesChicago, October 10, 2014
- 86th Annual National Conference of Bankruptcy JudgesSan Diego, October 26, 2012
- Pennsylvania Bar InstitutePhiladelphia, September 28, 2010
- Philadelphia Chapter of the Turnaround Management AssociationWilmington DE, September 27, 2010