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.
 
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.

• 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)

• "Intersection of MCAs and Bankruptcy," American Bankruptcy Institute's Commercial and Regulatory Law Committee (August 1, 2024)

• 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)