ANDREW B. RYAN

PARTNER

andy@ryanlawpartners.com

(214) 347-7360

Praised by a nationally prominent jury consultant as a “courtroom master,” Andy Ryan is a trial lawyer who always considers a future trial when devising his clients’ litigation strategy.

Though all cases vary, and none is predictive, Andy has had tremendous success at trial since forming Ryan Law Partners LLP.  Plaintiffs have sought over $120 million in damages at trial from Andy’s clients yet recovered just $100,000.  And, on top of tens of millions of confidential settlements obtained for plaintiffs, Andy has so far recovered 100% of the compensatory damages his clients have asked for at trial.  

Representative examples of Andy’s recent experience include:

  • Winning a unanimous breach of contract verdict for a national hotel products distributor against a publicly traded real estate brokerage for roughly $1.4 million.  A news article on the case can be found here.
  • Winning a unanimous fraud verdict for an asset-based lender against two Dallas executives for roughly $1.8 million.  A news article on the case can be found here.  
  • Winning a unanimous defense verdict for a major national airline in a five-week, $55 million trial in Rhode Island state court.  
    • The case won Business Litigation of the Year at the Association of Corporate Counsel’s 2021 DFW Corporate Counsel Awards.  
    • At the awards ceremony, the client’s in-house counsel said: “Andy Ryan is an incredible trial lawyer.  He was asked to come in and help us shortly before trial.  Andy not only said yes, but he is an outstanding, phenomenal, top notch courtroom lawyer.”
  • Winning a unanimous defense verdict on causation for a major national airline in a six-week, $66 million trial in California state court.  
  • Winning a unanimous defense verdict for an international centrifuge manufacturer on damages in a two-week, $1.8 million trial in New Hampshire state court.
    • After trial, the judge wrote Andy: “You were one of the best trial lawyers I have seen in the 20+ years I have been involved in trying cases (and I have seen a lot).”  
  • Defending a credit card processing company in Texas federal court from a vendor’s claim for breach of contract.  
    • After trial, the judge wrote: “The Court greatly admires Mr. Ryan’s single-handed, excellent representation in this case.”
    • The Fifth Circuit overturned the jury verdict adverse to Andy’s client.  Read the opinion here.  
  • Andy represented a medical device company in a qui tam action where the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland intervened to pursue allegations of False Claims Act violations, off-label promotion, and violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute. The client paid the lowest settlement for recent False Claims Act cases for the District of Maryland (approximately 1.2% of alleged damages) and was not required to enter into a corporate integrity agreement.

Before founding Ryan Law Partners LLP, Andy was a partner at a premier Texas litigation boutique.  Representative examples of his prior experience include: 

  • Andy served as the lead trial lawyer in the successful prosecution of multi-million dollar alter ego and corporate veil-piercing claims against a New York-based real estate investment trust and its affiliates. Before trial, the defendants showed little interest in settlement. After four days of trial where Andy cross-examined the company’s general counsel, chief financial officer, and outside expert, the defendants settled for 95% of the damages sought. The client credits Andy’s trial skills with obtaining the settlement: “I am certain that it was Andy’s thorough preparation and convincing oratory skills during the trial that finally forced the other side to settle at such favorable terms.”
  • Andy represented a Texas-based mineral and real estate company in litigation against Mesa Petroleum. Mesa abandoned its case on the eve of trial. Afterwards, the client stated: “Andy Ryan is one of the best young lawyers I have ever worked with, both in private practice and now as a client. He is diligent, hardworking, knows the case backwards and forwards, and is responsive to client needs. I am grateful that Andy represents our companies and not the other side.”
  • Andy represented a Texas-based publicly traded company in an arbitration following $60 million acquisition.  The matter resolved favorably for Andy’s client, substantially under the amount reserved.
  • Andy represented a national real estate company in an arbitration arising out of shopping center acquisition.  See Kimco Birmingham, LP v. Third Creek, LLC, 2010 WL 147942 (N.D. Tex. Jan. 14, 2010). Andy’s client won 100% of the damages sought in the arbitration.
  • Andy was part of a four-person trial team that won a verdict of a $65 million dividend and over $2 million in additional damages for a minority shareholder after a six-week jury trial. Post-trial, the judge increased the jury’s damages award by $20 million, and awarded the firm’s client more than $1 million in additional fees and expenses.
  • Andy was lead appellate attorney in a successful representation of an employee who alleged wrongful termination for refusing to participate in corporate bank fraud. See Velazquez v. LandCoast Insulation, Inc., 999 So. 2d 318 (La. Ct. App. 3d Cir. 2008).  Andy’s appellate work cured the effects of the prior attorney’s malpractice, and the client could proceed with his wrongful termination action.
  • Andy served as lead counsel in the successful defense of an Atlanta-based insurance brokerage accused of aiding and abetting an employee’s breach of a non-compete.  After Andy won a temporary injunction hearing for his client, the matter settled in the defendants’ favor.
  • Andy was lead counsel to a Dallas-based law firm sued for legal malpractice.  The plaintiff sued for millions, but voluntarily and permanently dismissed his case after Andy argued the defendant’s summary judgment motion.  The order sanctioning the former client and his counsel for bringing a frivolous lawsuit was upheld on appeal.  See In re McNeal, 2014 WL 3700808 (Tex. App.—Dallas July 23, 2014, no pet.).
  • Andy served as lead counsel to a large international law firm sued for legal malpractice in Texas, New Jersey, and New York.  Andy won complete dismissal of the lawsuits in Texas and New Jersey, and partial dismissal with prejudice of the New York lawsuit.  The matter later settled on terms extremely favorable to the law firm.
  • Andy served as lead counsel in the successful prosecution of a subrogation lawsuit on behalf of a London-based insurer against an American co-insurer who refused to defend and indemnify the insured. The defendant settled on the eve of depositions, with the client receiving a payment equal to nearly 90% of its damages.
  • Andy served as lead coverage counsel in the successful prosecution of breach of contract and bad faith insurance coverage lawsuit brought by the trustee of bankrupt surgical centers.  The matter settled for more than 125% of the plaintiff’s actual damages.

From 2019 to 2023, Texas Monthly has named Andy a Super Lawyer, a designation that he is one of the top 5% of lawyers in the state. 

From 2010 to 2019, Texas Monthly named Andy a “Rising Star” as one of the top young lawyers in Texas eight times. The distinction is reserved for the top 2.5% of Texas lawyers who are under 40 years of age or who have been in practice for less than 10 years.

Andy was recognized for an award by the State Bar of Texas in connection with his work on a project titled “DBA Salutes Our Veterans:  Thank You for Your Service!,” which concerned Dallas lawyers who also serve in our nation’s armed forces.

Andy was a member of the 2010 Dallas Association of Young Lawyers’ Leadership Class, serves on the Board of Directors for the Dallas Urban Debate Alliance, and has volunteered of his legal services on behalf of a Dallas-area HIV/AIDS charity.

Andy earned his J.D. from Baylor Law School in 2005, where he received the Leon Jaworski Scholarship for Outstanding Advocates, elected to the Order of Barristers, won the intra-mural moot court champion, was a member of the national mock trial championship team, and was presented the Claude O. Williams Award for Excellence in Oral Advocacy, and the Abner V. McCall Award for mastery of the law of evidence.

As an undergraduate at the University of Iowa, Andy was the college national debate champion and the nation’s top-ranked individual debater.

  • Author:  “The Evolution of Unfinished Business Claims,” Litigation (Spring 2015).

  • Author:  “Debating Third Party Policy Deadlines:  Why Texas Should Equitably Toll an Insured’s Claim for Breach of the Duty to Defend,” 61 Baylor L. Rev. 610 (Summer 2009).

  • Author:  “When the Extraordinary Becomes Ordinary:  Is the Express Negligence Rule Under Attack in Texas?,” 60 Baylor L. Rev. 941 (Winter 2008).

  • Presenter:  “Letters to a Future Partner,” Baylor Law School Professionalism Series (November 19, 2014).

  • Presenter:  “Clawbacks of Partnership and LLC Distributions:  Lessons from Large Law Firm Bankruptcies,” University of Texas Partnership Law CLE (July 9, 2014).

  • Presenter:  “Insurance Basics for the Bankruptcy Lawyer:  10 Insurance Questions You Need to Know to Ask,” Dallas Bar Association CLE (August 1, 2012).

  • Presenter:  “The Top Ten Evidence Objections a Lawyer Must Know to Survive at Trial,” Dallas Bar Association (March 5, 2010).

  • Presenter:  “Planning Ahead:  Thoughts on Successful Strategies in Co-Insurer Disputes,” Lloyd’s Market Association (April 25, 2008).

  • Presenter:  “Pleading to Keep Your Promise:  Litigation Tactics Concerning Insurance Coverage for Breaches of Contract,” North Texas Association of Insurance Counsel Lunch CLE (February 23, 2007).

LOCATION
Dallas, Texas

PRACTICES AREAS
White Collar Defense, Commercial Litigation, and Health Care

EDUCATION
Baylor Law School  (J.D., 2005)
University of Iowa  (B.A., 2002)
Winner of the National Debate Tournament (NDT) (2001)

BAR ADMISSIONS
Texas
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas U.S.