Ryan serves as lead, managing and national counsel for companies involved in mass tort and product liability litigation, including manufacturers of consumer, chemical, automotive and pharmaceutical products. Ryan has extensive experience leading and managing large mass tort defense teams for dockets spanning multiple jurisdictions. Ryan is known for his deep understanding of human behavior and the drivers of his client’s adversaries and the courts overseeing mass tort litigation. He leverages that knowledge and experience to provide both short and long-term strategies to match his client’s overall business objectives. Ryan is well-versed in all aspects of pretrial and trial strategy, having served on numerous trial teams, in addition to his first-chair jury trial experience.
Ryan has over a decade of experience leading and managing mass tort teams for clients involved in asbestos and talc litigation, including for asbestos suppliers, finished product manufactures and premises owners. Ryan’s practice also includes a variety of commercial and class action litigation matters, including restrictive covenants, breach of contract and breach of warranty disputes.
Before joining Shook, Ryan was a shareholder and the product liability practice group leader at a large national law firm.
Leadership With Experience
- Lead counsel for a Fortune 500 global toy company in defense of recalled infant products resulting in product liability and wrongful death litigation pending in coordinated state court proceedings across California and Delaware.
- Lead and managing counsel for a Fortune 100 global chemical company in defense against product liability asbestos actions in state and federal courts throughout Florida.
- Lead and managing counsel for a Fortune 100 global pharmaceutical and consumer products company in defense against product liability talc actions in state and federal courts throughout Florida.
- Lead and managing counsel for one of country’s largest generation and electric cooperatives in defense of premises claims regarding alleged asbestos exposure.
- National counsel for a supermarket chain in defense against product liability asbestos actions.
- Counsel for a Japanese manufacturer of allegedly defective automotive airbags involved in putative class actions and multidistrict litigation.
- Counsel for a Fortune 100 global pharmaceutical company in defense of product liability claims related to transdermal patches.
Representative Matters
Represented Fortune 500 global toy company in defense of recalled infant products and obtain affirmance of summary judgment on statute of limitations grounds rejecting tolling arguments based on New York law. Connolly v. Fisher-Price, Inc., 2025 WL309357 (Cal. App. Jan. 27, 2025).
Represented Fortune 500 global toy company in defense of recalled infant products and obtain affirmance of summary judgment on statute of limitations grounds rejecting tolling arguments based on North Carolina law. Talford v. Fisher-Price, Inc., 2025 WL 309302 (Cal. App. Jan. 27, 2025).
Represented a global chemical company in defense against an alleged asbestos personal injury claim. Obtained dismissal based on a novel issue of law. Kelly v. Georgia-Pacific, LLC, 211 So. 3d 340 (Fla. 4th DCA 2017).
Represented a global chemical company in defense against an alleged asbestos personal injury claim. Obtained dismissal based on lack of personal jurisdiction. Waite v. All Acquisition Corp., No. 0:15-cv-62359, 2016 WL 23463 (S.D. Fla. May 4, 2016).
Represented a global chemical company in defense against an alleged personal injury claim. Defense verdict following a jury trial. Taylor v. Georgia-Pacific LLC, No. 14-022141 (Fla. Cir. Ct. 2014).
Represented a regional supermarket chain to enforce restrictive covenants at 100-plus shopping center locations against national discount and dollar store chains. Obtained injunctions across multiple locations. Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. v. Dolgencorp, LLC, 746 F. 3d 1008 (11th Cir. 2014); Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. v. Dolgencorp, LLC, 881 F. 3d 835 (11th Cir. 2018).
Represented insured of a national property and casualty insurer in defense of a Telephone Consumer Protection Act class action; defeated class certification and obtained dismissal. Amitesh Inc. v. Alpha Imaging Prods. & Servs. Inc., No. 2010-CA-6671-0 (Fla. Cir. Ct. 2011).
Represented one of the nation’s largest court reporting and litigation services companies in defense of a Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act consumer class action; defeated class certification motion and obtained dismissal. In re Motions to Certify Classes Against Court Reporting Firms for Charges Relating to Word Indices, 715 F. Supp. 2d 1265 (S.D. Fla. 2010).
Represented leading transportation fuel provider in defense of product liability class action regarding ethanol blended gasoline warnings. Kelecseny v. Chevron, U.S.A., Inc., 262 F.R.D. 660 (S.D. Fla. 2009).
Represented one of the nation’s largest insurers in defense of an insurance claim alleging property damage caused by rock quarry blasting; obtained complete defense verdict after jury trial. Castillo v. State Farm Fla. Ins. Co., 971 So. 2d 820 (Fla. 3d DCA 2007).
Presentations and Publications
• Practical Tips for Counteracting Witness Coaching in the Pandemic and Beyond, DRI Asbestos Medicine Seminar, November 2021.
• Co-Author, 5 Steps To Successful Mass Tort Management, Law360, June 10, 2021 (with Ashley Drumm).
• Mass Torts and General Jurisdiction: The Corporate Defendant’s Way Home, August 2015.