Dispute Resolution & Deal Counsel — John H. Snyder PLLC
Neutral AuthorityAll PartiesFlat Fee
Dispute Resolution & Deal Counsel
For situations where parties are willing but the absence of a trusted neutral is the only thing preventing resolution.

Trusted authority in low-trust environments — aligned with the integrity of the process, not with any single party.

Snyder structures the agreement, holds parties to it, and resolves conflicts when they arise — without triggering the adversarial dynamic that makes resolution impossible.

Role
Neutral Authority
Independent. Process-aligned.
Requirement
All Parties Aligned
Before engagement commences.
When Trust Has Broken Down

Some situations fail because no one trusts the other side.

The parties are willing. The commercial logic is sound. But the negotiation keeps breaking down at the same point — and neither side can move without a trusted third party holding the structure.

In these situations, what is missing is not legal advice. It is a figure with genuine authority who can structure an agreement both sides will hold, manage the dynamics when they drift, and drive the matter to resolution without triggering the adversarial posture that makes resolution impossible.

When trust is absent, neutral authority is the missing ingredient. Not more advocacy.
The Method

Three stages. One governing authority throughout.

IStructure
Build the framework the parties can agree to hold.
Define terms that reflect actual incentives, not stated positions. Anticipate conflict points before they surface. Ensure the agreement is executable under real-world pressure.
Incentive mappingConflict anticipationExecution stress-testing
IIHold
Maintain process integrity when parties begin to drift.
Hold parties to agreed frameworks and timelines. Prevent opportunistic behavior and last-minute deviation. Restore the governing framework before damage compounds.
Timeline enforcementDeviation managementFramework restoration
IIIResolve
Guide parties to resolution without unnecessary escalation.
Serve as the neutral reference point when disputes arise. Interpret the agreement in context. Drive toward resolution without triggering the adversarial dynamic that makes resolution impossible.
Neutral interpretationNon-adversarial resolutionOutcome enforcement
The Work

Six situations where neutral authority creates resolution that advocacy cannot.

Stalled Negotiations
When parties are willing but trust has broken down
Repeated breakdown at the same point. Both sides willing in principle but unable to close without an independent authority holding the structure.
Complex Transactions
Where central coordination is the missing element
Multi-party deals requiring a single coordinating authority. Transactions where one party's counsel cannot serve that function without creating asymmetry.
Pre-Litigation Resolution
Before positions harden
Disputes that can be resolved without litigation — if the right structure is imposed before positions harden and costs accumulate.
Post-Agreement Disputes
When implementation creates conflict
Agreements that generate disputes during execution — interpretation conflicts, changed circumstances, performance disagreements.
Sensitive Counterparty Dynamics
When relationships complicate resolution
Matters where the parties have ongoing relationships that create constraints on what ordinary litigation or negotiation can accomplish.
Cross-Border Situations
Where jurisdictional complexity adds friction
Transactions or disputes spanning multiple jurisdictions, where complexity of applicable law and enforcement dynamics requires a trusted neutral.
Why Snyder

Authority that both sides can accept. Track record both sides can verify.

John H. Snyder
Founding Principal · Neutral Authority · Deal Counsel
John H. Snyder
Harvard Law School
Brown University · Phi Beta Kappa
Federal Clerkship · Proskauer Rose
Founder, Agnes Intelligence

Snyder's effectiveness as a neutral authority derives directly from his track record as an adversarial one. Both sides understand that he has tried cases and knows what happens when negotiations fail. That knowledge is what makes his structure credible.

Founder and CEO of Agnes Intelligence, which placed 4th among more than 1,000 entries in the IBM Watson Build competition.

Corporate & Structural Counsel
Thomas C. Sima
Duke Law (J.D. & LL.M., cum laude) · Shearman & Sterling, NY & HK · NY · FL · SDNY · EDNY
20+ years in M&A, joint ventures, and complex transactions across jurisdictions. The structural fault lines that cause deals to fail — misaligned equity arrangements, ambiguous governance provisions, poorly drafted performance conditions — are precisely the areas where Sima provides the precision that prevents breakdown.
Engagement

All principal parties must be aligned before engagement commences.

The neutral role requires buy-in from all sides. We will have a preliminary conversation with each principal party to confirm that the engagement structure is appropriate and that all parties understand the role.

Initial discussions are confidential. Engagement begins immediately once alignment is confirmed.

Contact
Flat fee, structured by scope and duration. Requires alignment from all principal parties.
An Early Conversation
Costs Nothing.

We engage in situations where parties are willing to transact or resolve but the absence of a trusted neutral is the binding constraint. All principal parties must be aligned before the engagement commences. Briefly describe the situation and the parties involved.

Email inquiry@jhs.nyc
We Are a Fit When
Parties are willing but trust is absent. Negotiations are stalling or breaking down repeatedly at the same point.
We Are Not a Fit When
One or more parties is not aligned on the engagement. The situation requires advocacy rather than neutrality.
The Engagement
Flat fee, structured by scope and duration. Requires alignment from all principal parties.