Bryce A. Suzuki

Partner

Phoenix

602.382.6267

People•Bryce A. Suzuki

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

In his restructuring practice, Bryce represents creditors, debtors, landlords, asset purchasers, and equity security holders in all aspects of distressed and insolvency situations. He represents clients with respect to loan enforcement and related litigation, receiverships, bankruptcy, distressed asset sales, workouts, wind downs and liquidation, assignments for the benefit of creditors, and out-of-court restructurings. He regularly first-chairs trials in bankruptcy courts and has significant experience leading appeals involving bankruptcy and insolvency issues. His practice has involved diverse industry sectors, including cryptocurrency, retail, hospitality, restaurant, medical, oil and gas, commercial real estate, mining, industrial, aviation, professional sports, and wholesale supply.

Bryce is involved in numerous professional and community organizations, for which he has served in board and senior leadership positions. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of TMA Global, the turnaround industry’s preeminent professional organization. He also served for several years on the board of the Arizona Equal Access to Justice Foundation and has been committed to pro bono work throughout his career. In 2018, he received a formal commendation from Arizona Governor Doug Ducey for leadership in the legal profession and community.

Bryce is also an adjunct professor at the Arizona State University, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, where he teaches a course on cryptocurrency and blockchain law and policy. He is a frequent speaker on bankruptcy and blockchain topics.

Served as lead counsel to a senior secured creditor in the chapter 11 reorganization of oil and gas companies
Served as lead counsel to a gold mining operation in a loan workout and sale transaction
Served as lead trial counsel to an indenture trustee in an oil and gas company’s bankruptcy claims proceeding
Served as lead appellate counsel to an ownership group in bankruptcy with respect to claims disputes arising from a business separation
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 commercial real estate chapter 11 plan confirmation proceedings
Served as lead appellate counsel to an investor group owed more than $35 million
Served as lead trial counsel to secured lenders in extended evidentiary hearings on self storage companies’ chapter 11 plan confirmation proceedings
Served as counsel to chapter 11 trustee with respect to bankruptcy administration and the sale of more than 250 franchised quick service restaurants
Served as counsel to secured creditor group in the chapter 11 cases of a large regional 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 the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the 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)
Brigham Young University (M.A.)
Brigham Young University (B.A.)

Turnaround Management Association (TMA Global)
- Global Board of Trustees (2016-2018, 2020-Present)
- Executive Board - VP of Communications (2019)
TMA Arizona
- Board Member (2017-Present)
American Bankruptcy Institute
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

“Local Bankruptcy Rules: Arizona,” Co-Author, Practical Law Bankruptcy (2018-2021)
“Blockchain: How It Will Change Your Legal Practice,” Co- Author, Arizona Attorney (Feb. 2018), republished in The Computer & Internet Lawyer 5-9 (Jul. 2018)
“Bankruptcy Appeals And Finality: A New Per Se Rule,” Law360 (April 14, 2017)
“Nonfinal Finality: The Result Of A Flexible Standard,” Law360 (August 31, 2016)
“Bitcoin After Brexit: Safe Haven or Harbinger of Future Distress?” PayBefore (September 1, 2016)
“Earth to Creditors: Triangular Payment Arrangements May Constitute Reasonably Equivalent Value,” Harvard Law School Bankruptcy Roundtable (January 12, 2016)
“Click to Appeal: Recent Second Circuit Court Decision a Cautionary Tale Regarding Electronically Filed Notices of Appeal,” Law360 (November 18, 2015)
“Settling with the Distressed: Potential Bankruptcy Landmines for the Unwary,” The Record Reporter (July 16, 2014)

Speaking Engagements

“Crypto-Fueled Bank Runs? Examining the Intersection of Bank Failures & Crypto Bankruptcies,” National Asian Pacific Bar Association Convention, Indianapolis, Indiana (November 2023)
“Cryptocurrency and the Bankruptcy Code,” National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, NCBJ Annual Conference, Austin, Texas (October 2023)
“Cryptocurrency and Bankruptcy,” American Bankruptcy Institute, Southwest Bankruptcy Conference, Santa Barbara, California (August 2023)
“Recent Developments in Cryptocurrency Bankruptcy Cases,” Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, Portland, Oregon (August 2023)
“Cryptocurrency,” American Bankruptcy Institute, Rocky Mountain Bankruptcy Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah (January 2023)
Bankruptcy Bootcamp Program for Non-Bankruptcy Lawyers, Joint Annual District Court of Guam & Biennial Judicial Council Conference, Oceania Pacific Judicial Conference (September 2022)
“Demystifying Cryptocurrency and Blockchain for Lawyers,” Joint Annual District Court of Guam & Biennial Judicial Council Conference, Oceania Pacific Judicial Conference (September 2022)
“Crypto Hot Topics,” Joint Annual District Court of Guam & Biennial Judicial Council Conference, Oceania Pacific Judicial Conference (September 2022)
“Digital Residency and Crypto: Blockchain in Palau and the Strategic Western Pacific,” Interview with Hon. Kaleb Udui Jr., Minister of Finance of Palau, Joint Annual District Court of Guam & Biennial Judicial Council Conference, Oceania Pacific Judicial Conference (September 2022)
“Chapter 11 Hot Topics: Nonconsensual Third-Party Releases,” State Bar of Arizona Annual Conference, Phoenix, Arizona (June 2022)
“Motivating Non-Profit Boards,” State Bar of Arizona Bar Leadership Institute, Phoenix, Arizona (January 2022)
“Alternative Dispute Resolution Provisions in Bankruptcy,” American Bankruptcy Institute, Southwest Bankruptcy Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada (September 2019)
“Blockchain: From Digital Currency to Smart Contracts and Beyond,” State Bar of Arizona Annual Conference, Phoenix, Arizona (June 2019)
“The Matrix: New Technology in Bankruptcy,” American Bankruptcy Institute, Rocky Mountain Bankruptcy Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah (January 2019)
“Blockchain, Bitcoin and Beyond,” American Bankruptcy Institute, Caribbean Insolvency Symposium, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands (January 2019)
“The ABCs of Electronic Currencies,” American Bankruptcy Institute, Southwest Bankruptcy Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada (September 2018)
“TECHTalks: Cryptocurrency, Blockchain, and Distributed Ledger Technology,” State Bar of Arizona Annual Conference, Phoenix, Arizona (June 2018)
“Blockchain and Law Practice,” ASU Center for Law, Science & Innovation CLE Series, Phoenix, Arizona (April 2018)
“Blockchain and Bankruptcy,” Guest Lecturer, ASU Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law (September 2017-2021)
“A Hospital Reorganization Case Study,” Arizona Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association, Phoenix, Arizona (April 2017)
“Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency, Banking and What's Next,” Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association, Denver, Colorado (April 2016)
“Bitcoin, Blockchain, and Beyond: What Every Lawyer Needs to Know about Emerging Crypto-Technologies,” Arizona Association of Corporate Counsel, Phoenix, Arizona (February 2016)
“Jurisdictional Issues after Wellness, Stern, and Executive Benefits,” State Bar of Arizona Annual Conference, Phoenix, Arizona (June 2015)
“Bitcoin and the Brave New World of Cryptocurrency,” Association of Finance Professionals, Scottsdale, Arizona (February 2015)
“Stressed About Distress,” American Bar Association Section of Litigation Annual Conference, Phoenix, Arizona (April 2014)
“Who Wants to Be a Section 363 Millionaire?,” Program Chair, NAPABA National Conference, Kansas City, Missouri (November 2013)
“Current Issues in Chapter 11 Real Estate Bankruptcies,” TMA Western Regional Conference, Dana Point, California (July 2013)
“Comparative Issues Regarding Cash Collateral and DIP Financing,” State Bar of Arizona Annual Conference, Phoenix, Arizona (June 2013)
“Recent Legal Developments Affecting the Credit Function,” National Electronic Distribution Credit Association, Phoenix, Arizona (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, Atlanta, Georgia (November 2011)
“A Fresh Look at Avoidance Actions,” Arizona Bankruptcy Practice, PESI (October 2010)

The Best Lawyers in America®, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Bankruptcy Litigation (2018-Present)
Super Lawyers®, Southwest Super Lawyer (2020-Present), Southwest Rising Stars (2012-2013)
Arizona's Finest Lawyers (2013-Present)
Japanese American Citizens League of Arizona, Gold Saguaro Tribute Award, pro bono legal service to the community (2022)
Commendation of Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, Outstanding Leadership in the Arizona Legal Profession and Community (2018)
TMA Global, Turnaround of the Year Award: Mid-Size Company (2017)
M&A Advisor, Healthcare/Life Sciences Deal of the Year Award (2017)
Best Lawyers Under 40, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) (2011)
Guest of President Barack Obama, White House reception honoring Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage (2010)

ASU Center for Law, Science and Innovation, Research Fellow (2017-Present)
ASU Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Adjunct Professor (2018-Present)
American Bar Foundation, Life Fellow (2011-Present)
U.S. Japan Council
- Japanese American Leadership Delegation (2019)
- Council Leader (2019-2023)
Arizona Equal Access to Justice Foundation, Board Member (2017-2019)
Japanese American Citizens League, Arizona Chapter (2007-Present)

Spanish (Fluent)
French (Conversational)
Japanese (Basic)

Arizona

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

Bryce A. Suzuki

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