Power 30 Personal Injury Attorneys – James M. Ryan

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A 1985 graduate of Marquette Law School, James M. Ryan has exclusively practiced insurance defense law. According to his firm’s website, he has tried more than 100 jury trials to verdict.
Special Investigation Unit cases are Ryan’s bread and butter.

“Ryan has been a pioneer in litigating SIU claims,” his website states.

In addition to SIU cases, he has been involved in a variety of other cases. For example, he successfully argued the seminal bad faith case to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, entitled Brethorst v. Allstate. In that case, the court held that bad faith cannot be predicated merely on an insurance company’s poor investigation, but plaintiff must also prove that the insurance company breached its contract.

A decision was rendered in a case recently where Ryan successfully argued to the Wisconsin Supreme Court concerning whether an injured worker could be forced to accept a settlement offer made by the tortfeasor in a §102.29 lawsuit. Adams v. Cincinnati Insurance (2014).

Ryan has received the highest AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell for the past 25 years.

He is also no stranger to publication.

• August 2005 Wisconsin Lawyer, Volume 78, Number 8: Punitive Damages Against a Drunk Driver
• Spring 2012 Wisconsin Defense Counsel Journal, Brethorst v. Allstate: A Turn in the Tide of Wisconsin Bad Faith Law?
  Ryan is also a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Bar Association, Wisconsin Defense Counsel and Wisconsin Association of Special Investigation Units – Attorney Member.