Daniel J. Zeller

Overview

Daniel J. Zeller is a Partner in Shapiro Sher’s Bankruptcy & Financial Restructuring Group, known for delivering results in complex insolvency and commercial litigation matters. Since joining the firm in 2008 following a federal clerkship, Mr. Zeller has worked with debtors, trustees, and secured and unsecured creditors on matters ranging from reorganizations and liquidations to litigation and asset sales.

He has handled a broad mix of bankruptcy-related issues, including avoidance actions, safe-harbor disputes, problems of discharge and dischargeability, and commercial litigation in both state and federal courts. He is also adept at structuring sophisticated asset sales and business dispositions within insolvency contexts, helping clients maximize recovery and protect their interests during financially distressed transactions.

Mr. Zeller played a key role in the complex bankruptcy of TMST, Inc. (formerly Thornburg Mortgage, Inc.), navigating asset sales, repurchase and structured finance transactions, mortgage servicing challenges, and litigation against major investment banks. His in-depth knowledge and courtroom experience provide clients with confident advocacy and tactical advantage in high-stakes financial restructuring matters.

Mr. Zeller began his legal career as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Robert A. Gordon and the Honorable Duncan W. Keir of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland. He also served as a law clerk intern with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He previously worked as a data analyst for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, where he contributed to regulatory enforcement policy.

He earned his law degree with honors from the University of Maryland School of Law and holds a B.A., summa cum laude, from Western Maryland College. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the Order of the Coif and has been recognized as a “Rising Star” by Maryland Super Lawyers.

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Credentials

Education

• University of Maryland (J.D., Order of the Coif, 2005)
• Western Maryland College (B.A., Phi Beta Kappa, 1999)

Bar Admissions

• Maryland
• U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
• Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

Honors & Awards

• Named a “Rising Star” in Maryland Super Lawyers
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator’s Achievement Award (2002)
• U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service (2003)
• U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of the Inspector General Integrity Award (2005)

Affiliations

• Member, Maryland State Bar Association
• Member, Bankruptcy Bar Association of Maryland
• Member, Baltimore City Bar Association

Practice Groups

Bankruptcy & Financial Restructuring
Commercial Litigation