J. Ryan Yant

Ryan Yant is a seasoned attorney who represents clients in insolvency and financial restructuring matters and commercial litigation. Ryan regularly represents clients in a wide array of business disputes and litigation, including creditors’ rights and judgment enforcement, and features in bankruptcy court, where he routinely represents secured and unsecured creditors and debtors in all types of issues in Chapter 11, subchapter V, Chapter 13, and Chapter 7 cases, including all manner of adversary proceedings and contested matters, such as fraudulent transfer actions, preference actions, and officer and director litigation.

Beyond bankruptcy, Ryan represents clients in all types of business issues statewide in Florida state courts, including judgment and lien enforcement, assignments for the benefit of creditors, proceedings supplementary, and breach of contract.
 
Ryan’s practice has a heavy emphasis on litigation, having served as lead counsel in trials in both Florida and Georgia and having handled contested matters and adversary proceedings in numerous state and federal courts, including Florida, Georgia, California, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. He has particular experience in nondischargeability adversary proceedings in bankruptcy court.
 
Ryan represents merchant cash advance (MCA) companies and is one of the most experienced attorneys in MCA law in the Southeastern United States. He is also a frequent speaker on the subject. He is also is experienced in C-PACE transactions and was involved in the first C-PACE transaction in the Tampa, Florida, market.
 
Ryan is an officer in the Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association and is an active member of the American Bankruptcy Institute and the Business Law section of the Florida Bar. Prior to joining Carlton Fields, Ryan was a law clerk to the Honorable K. Rodney May and the Honorable Roberta A. Colton of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida.

• Successfully defended a large national bank in a state court jury trial for claims of FCCPA violation and breach of contract, and successfully prosecuted all affirmative claims.
• Prosecuted and obtained judgment on nondischargeability claims under 11 U.S.C. §§ 523(a)(2)(B), 523(a)(4), and 523(a)(5) after a one-day bench trial.
• Served as debtor counsel in a Chapter 11 Subchapter V case, confirming a joint plan of reorganization with a related traditional Chapter 11 case, discharging more than $60 million in filed claims.
• Obtained a global settlement with corporate and individual Subchapter V debtors and a related non-debtor entity, resulting in a $500,000 nondischargeable judgment, $380,000 in plan payments plus interest, and secured first-priority liens for the client.
• Successfully dismissed a complaint for fraudulent transfer and unjust enrichment claims on theories that: the IRS cannot be a triggering creditor because it did not file a proof of claim; the substantive consolidation order cannot be enforced against the client due to improper notice under Rule 7004(h); and there can be no claim of unjust enrichment because the alleged transfers were payments for non-debtor credit card debt.
• Represented a group of equity owners of a Nashville honkytonk in an ownership dispute where the opposing faction attempted to force a sale through bankruptcy. Successfully defended the action, resulting in an increase of effective sale price by more than $10 million.
• Represented an aviation company in a judgment enforcement issue, developed strong arguments to break tenants by the entireties defenses, resulting in payment to the client of more than $1.5 million.
• Represented two large physician groups in the second-largest health care bankruptcy in history, serving on the unsecured creditors committee on behalf of the entity.
• Represented an international client in defense of preference allegations under 11 U.S.C. § 558, seeking turnover of $1.37 million.
• Represented a liquidating trustee in a confirmed Chapter 11 bankruptcy, including pursuit of preference allegations and claims administration.
• Represented a client in defense of a proceeding supplementary action.
• Represented a former officer in D&O litigation.
• Represented a bank in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy case resulting in the sale of secured collateral consisting of a yacht and an airplane, with a combined sale price of more than $1.1 million.

• The Best Lawyers in America, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Bankruptcy Litigation (2026)
• The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law (2021–2025)
• Florida Rising Stars, Super Lawyers Magazine (2023)

• “Don’t Be a DIP: What to Do And Not to Do With Debtor in Possession Financing,” Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association (April 14, 2026)
• “From Intake to Adversary: Managing § 523 Risk in Individual Cases,” Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association (April 7, 2026) 
• "What's New With MCAs," Alexander L. Paskay Memorial Bankruptcy Seminar, American Bankruptcy Institute, Tampa, FL (February 25, 2026)
• "Intersection of MCAs and Bankruptcy," American Bankruptcy Institute's Commercial and Regulatory Law Committee (August 1, 2024)
• “Chapter 11 Updates and Core Issues,” Alexander L. Paskay Memorial Bankruptcy Seminar, American Bankruptcy Institute, Tampa, FL (February 27, 2024)
• “The Wild West of Merchant Cash Advance Lenders,” Southeast Bankruptcy Workshop, American Bankruptcy Institute, Amelia Island, FL (July 21, 2023)
• “Nuts and Bolts Program,” Alexander L. Paskay Memorial Bankruptcy Seminar, American Bankruptcy Institute, Tampa, FL (February 21, 2023)

• Law Clerk to the Honorable K. Rodney May, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida (2016–2017)
• Law Clerk to the Honorable Roberta A. Colton, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida (2017–2018)
• Associate, Buddy D. Ford, P.A., Tampa, FL (2014–2016)
• Fellowship Attorney, St. Michael's Legal Center, Tampa, FL (2013–2014)