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 (1996)
- New Jersey (1996)
- Delaware (2001)
- New York (2008)
- United States Supreme Court (2016)
Bradford J. Sandler

Mr. Sandler is a member of the firm's Management Committee and Long- term Planning Committee and co-chair of the firm’s renowned and venerable Committee Practice Group.
He has substantial experience representing debtors, equity and creditors’ committees, acquirers, fiduciaries (including receivers and trustees), and other significant parties in interest in complex reorganizations and financially distressed situations, both in and out of court. While acknowledging that bankruptcy is often a viable business tool to fix a troubled company, Mr. Sandler believes that it is a tool of last resort, and many of his company-side representations are out-of-court, non-public representations he successfully worked by right-sizing the company’s capital structure to avoid a formal insolvency proceeding.
Mr. Sandler is known for bringing creative and aggressive representation to maximize unsecured creditor or equity recoveries. His recent committee representations include Cineworld, Sungard, Ascena, J Crew, Ditech Holdings, Corsicana Bedding, Rockdale Marcellus, Tuesday Morning, Gymboree II, Payless I and II, Shopko, the Weinstein Company, Bon-Ton Department Stores, Woodbridge Group, BCBG Max Azria, Aeropostale and Sports Authority. Mr. Sandler was lead counsel in the LifeCare Hospital case that led to a substantial recovery to unsecured creditors after making new “class skipping” law in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. His industry experience includes consumer good/retail, entertainment, food/restaurants, manufacturing, technology, financial services, agricultural.
Many publications have acknowledged Mr. Sandler’s restructuring work. He has been listed among the nation’s top restructuring attorneys in Best Lawyers in America every year since 2013. He holds an “AV Preeminent Peer Rating,” Martindale-Hubbell's highest recognition for ethical standards and legal ability, and was named to Thomson Reuters’ “New York Super Lawyers” list as well as “Delaware Super Lawyers” list. He is ranked among the nation’s top Bankruptcy/ Restructuring attorneys by Chambers USA, which states that he “boasts deep expertise in the representation of creditors' committees in complex Chapter 11 proceedings," and that he “blend[s] traditional legal skills with commercial negotiating and business sense." Chambers USA also notes that Mr. Sandler has been described as “a creative, calm, effective lawyer who is also quick, smart and aggressive.”
Representations
- Committees: Cineworld, Rockdale Marcellus, Sungard, Corsicana Bedding, Alamo Theaters, Logan's Roadhouse, Tuesday Morning, Washington Prime Group, J.Crew, Ascena Retail Group, Cinemex Theaters, Goodrich Theaters, Fairway Markets, Promise Healthcare Hospitals, Lucky Brand Dungarees, Payless ShoeSource (2019), Gymboree Corporation, Shopko, The Weinstein Company, Bon-Ton Stores, Rockport, Woodbridge Group of Companies, Perkins Restaurants, SD Restaurant Group, Payless ShoeSource (2017), BCBG Max Azria, The Limited, Haggen Supermarkets, Sports Authority, Aeropostale, Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (A&P), Fox & Hound and Champps, Joe's Crab Shack, National Air Cargo, Ashley Stewart, Fired Up (Johnny Carino's), Quantum Leap (TGI Friday franchisee), Martifer Solar, LifeCare Hospitals, Namco Holdings, Bakers Shoes, Coach America, Buffets Restaurants, Smurfit-Stone, Eddie Bauer, Harry & David Holdings, Back Yard Burgers, Joan Fabrics, Quaker Fabrics, Emivest Aerospace Corporation, Oasys Mobile, SSI Group (Souper Salad), KH Funding, PJComn Acquisition Corp (Papa John's), Freedom Rings, Old Original Bookbinders, National Envelope Corporation, National Dry Cleaners, Neff Corporation, Pure Beauty Salons & Boutiques (Trade Secret), Bowe Bell & Howe, Anchor Blue Retail Group, Charlie Brown's Restaurant Group, Dan River Holdings, Goodys, Specialty Packaging Holdings, Palm Harbor Homes, Frank Parsons Inc., Custom Cable Industries
- Debtors: DVI Financial Services, Charleston Associates, Forward Foods, Network Access Solutions Corporation, Protarga, Kitchen Etc., Home Health Care of America, Avant-Garde Enterprises
- Fiduciaries: Art Van Furniture, Heritage Furniture, Bayou Steel, Adeptus Healthcare, Global Aviation, Leading Edge Logistics, Evergreen International Aviation, TSC, VeraSun Energy, Net2000 Communications, Ultimate Electronics, US Automotive Friction, Carolina Fluids, Somody, American Remanufacturers
Professional Affiliations
- Life member, American Bankruptcy Institute
- Member: Turnaround Management Association, Association for Corporate Growth, International Federation of Insolvency Practitioners (INSOL), Delaware Bankruptcy American Inn of Court
- Leadership Positions: American Bankruptcy Institute, Turnaround Management Association (Philadelphia and New York Chapters), Settlement Music School, Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Art Alliance
- 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, 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
- 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
- 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
- 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