People•Bryce A. Suzuki

Bryce A. Suzuki

People•Bryce A. Suzuki

Bryce Suzuki focuses his practice in bankruptcy, restructuring, and insolvency. He provides strategic business planning and dispute resolution to a diverse range of lenders, companies, and business owners. Bryce also advises businesses in the field of cryptocurrency, blockchain, and related technology.

Bryce represents secured and unsecured creditors, debtors, landlords, vendors, investors and equity security holders in a variety of commercial restructuring and insolvency issues such as loan workouts, distressed asset sales, chapter 11 bankruptcy administration and reorganization, liquidation, and distressed financing. He regularly first-chairs trials in bankruptcy courts and has significant experience managing appeals involving bankruptcy and insolvency issues.

  • Served as lead counsel to senior secured creditor in the reorganization of two emergency care hospitals under a single chapter 11 plan negotiated and proposed jointly by the secured creditor and respective debtors in two separate bankruptcy cases
  • Served as lead appellate counsel to a national bank in an appeal involving a novel default-interest issue under a chapter 11 plan
  • Served as lead trial counsel to secured lenders in extended evidentiary hearings on chapter 11 plan confirmation and relief from the automatic stay
  • Served as lead appellate counsel to an investor group owed more than $35 million
  • Served as counsel to secured creditor group in the chapter 11 cases of a supermarket chain
  • Served as debtor's counsel to Arizona homebuilder and affiliated debtors in chapter 11
  • Served as debtor's conflicts counsel and post-confirmation liquidation trustee's counsel in a professional sports team's bankruptcy case
  • Served as debtor's counsel to real estate developer in chapter 11
  • Served as counsel to defrauded aircraft purchasers in chapter 11 case of private jet manufacturer
  • Served as defense counsel for a skateboard distribution company in bankruptcy preference litigation involving action-sports retail chain
  • Represented a distressed loan purchaser in connection with borrower workouts and foreclosure issues
  • Represented creditors and estate professionals in various appeals to Bankruptcy Appellate Panel of the Ninth Circuit and the United States District Court for the District of Arizona

  • University of Iowa (J.D., with distinction, 2003)
  • Brigham Young University (M.A.,2000)
  • Brigham Young University (B.A.,1998)

  • Turnaround Management Association (TMA Global)
    • Global Board of Trustees (2016-2018, 2020-Present)
    • Executive Board - VP of Communications (2019)
  • American Bankruptcy Institute
  • American Bar Association
  • National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
    • Co-Chair, Restructuring and Bankruptcy Committee (2013-2015)
  • Arizona Asian American Bar Association
    • President (2010-2011)
    • Board Member (2007-2015)
  • State Bar of Arizona Committee on Minorities and Women in the Law, Chair (2007-2008)

Publications

Speaking Engagements

  • “Alternative Dispute Resolution Provisions in Bankruptcy,” ABI Southwest Conference (September 2019)
  • “Blockchain: From Digital Currency to Smart Contracts and Beyond,” State Bar of Arizona Annual Conference (June 2019)
  • “The Matrix: New Technology in Bankruptcy,” ABI Rocky Mountain Conference (January 2019)
  • “Blockchain, Bitcoin and Beyond,” ABI Caribbean Insolvency Symposium (January 2019)
  • “The ABCs of Electronic Currencies,” ABI Southwest Conference (September 2018)
  • "TECHTalks: Cryptocurrency, Blockchain, and Distributed Ledger Technology,” State Bar of Arizona Annual Conference (June 2018)
  • “Blockchain and Law Practice,” ASU Center for Law, Science & Innovation CLE Series (April 2018)
  • “Blockchain and Bankruptcy,” Guest Lecturer, ASU Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law (September 2017-2019)
  • “A Hospital Reorganization Case Study,” Arizona Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association (April 2017)
  • “Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency, Banking and What’s Next," Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association (April 2016)
  • “Bitcoin, Blockchain, and Beyond: What Every Lawyer Needs to Know about Emerging Crypto-Technologies,” Arizona Association of Corporate Counsel (February 2016)
  • “Jurisdictional Issues after Wellness, Stern, and Executive Benefits,” State Bar of Arizona Annual Conference (June 2015)
  • “Bitcoin and the Brave New World of Cryptocurrency,” Association of Finance Professionals (February 2015)
  • “Stressed About Distress,” ABA Section of Litigation Annual Conference (April 2014)
  • “Who Wants to Be a Section 363 Millionaire?,” Program Chair, NAPABA National
    Conference (November 2013)
  • “Current Issues in Chapter 11 Real Estate Bankruptcies,” TMA Western Regional Conference (July 2013)
  • “Comparative Issues Regarding Cash Collateral and DIP Financing,” State Bar of Arizona Annual Conference (June 2013)
  • “Recent Legal Developments Affecting the Credit Function,” National Electronic Distribution
    Credit Association (June 2013)
  • “Bankruptcy Issues for Litigators,” NAPABA Webinar (June 2013)
  • "Real World: Zone of Insolvency (Doing Business with a Financially Distressed Company)," NAPABA National Conference (November 2011)
  • “A Fresh Look at Avoidance Actions,” Arizona Bankruptcy Practice, PESI (October 2010)

  • The Best Lawyers in America© (2018-Present)
  • TMA Global, Turnaround of the Year Award: Mid-Size Company (2017)
  • M&A Advisor, Healthcare/Life Sciences Deal of the Year Award (2017)
  • Arizona's Finest Lawyers (2013-Present)
  • Super Lawyers, Southwest Super Lawyer (2020-Present), Southwest Rising Stars (2012-2013)
  • Best Lawyers Under 40, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) (2011)
  • Guest of President Barack Obama, reception honoring Asian American and Pacific
    Islander Heritage (2010)

  • U.S. Japan Council
    • Japanese American Leadership Delegation (2019)
    • Council Leader (2019-Present)
  • ASU Center for Law, Science and Innovation, Research Fellow (2017-Present)
  • ASU Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Adjunct Professor (2018-Present)
  • Arizona Equal Access to Justice Foundation, Board Member (2017-Present)
  • American Bar Foundation, Fellow (2011-Present)
  • Japanese American Citizens League, Arizona Chapter (2007-present)

  • Spanish
  • French
  • Japanese

  • Arizona

  • United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • United States District Court, District of Arizona
  • United States District Court, District of Colorado