Thomas Patrick Ryan
Practice Areas:
Civil Litigation
Insurance Defense
Insurance Coverage
Construction Litigation
Products Liability
Worker’s Compensation
Biography:
Tom is a principal member of the Insurance Defense, Insurance Coverage and Workers Compensation practice groups, and he works primarily in the areas of civil litigation, insurance coverage, insurance defense, bad faith litigation, professional liability, catastrophic personal injury claims, construction litigation, toxic torts, products liability, and workers compensation. Throughout the course of his career, Tom has tried over 400 cases to jury verdict and handled hundreds of other bench trials, arbitrations and appellate proceedings primarily in the State and Federal courts of Maryland and the District of Columbia. Tom has served numerous professional appointments, boards and associations, and received many professional awards, reflecting his commitment to the furtherance of legal education, professionalism and civility in the practice of law. <<For more biographical information>>>
Tom was born in Cortland, New York in 1955, but has lived in Montgomery County since 1968. He attended Wheaton High School and graduated as valedictorian in 1973. In 1977, he graduated at the top of his class from Randolph-Macon College. Tom chose Georgetown University Law Center for his legal education, and was a cum laude graduate in 1980. He began working as a law clerk at the firm in 1978.
During 1980-81, Tom clerked for The Honorable Phillip Fairbanks in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, and upon completion of his clerkship returned to the firm as an associate. He became a partner in 1989.
Tom is currently on the Board of Governors of the Maryland State Bar Association. He is active in the Montgomery County Bar Association, and served as Secretary of the Association and on the Executive Committee. He was for several years the Chairman of the Continuing Legal Education Committee for the Bar. Tom has also for many years been one of the moderators of the Law School for the Public television programs, which are aired on Tuesday nights on Access Montgomery television. He writes a weekly column, “The Court Report,” for the Montgomery County Sentinel Newspaper. He has also been a speaker and lecturer at Continuing Legal Education Programs for MICPEL and the Montgomery County Bar.
Tom is an amateur musician, and has entertained at firm social functions over the years. He is a long standing writer and cast member for the musical comedy Bar Revue put on each year by the Bar Association. He and his wife, Melory, live in Cabin John, Maryland.
Memberships and Awards
- Montgomery County Bar Association
- Maryland State Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- District of Columbia Bar.
- Phi Beta Kappa
- Omicron Delta Kappa
- 2001 Legal Excellence Award
- American Criminal Law Review, 1979-1980
Reported Cases
- Allstate Ins. Co. v. Kim, 376 Md. 276, 829 A.2d 611 (2003)
- Gallegos v. Allstate Ins. Co., 372 Md. 748, 816 A.2d 102 (2003)
- Vito v. Sargis & Jones, Ltd., 108 Md. App. 408, 672 A.2d 129 (1996)
- Universal Under. Ins. Co. v. Allstate Ins. Co., 99 Md. App. 595, 638 A.2d 1220 (1994)
- Tretick v. Layman, 95 Md. App. 62, 619 A.2d 201 (1993)
- Willis v. Allstate Ins. Co., 88 Md. App. 21, 591 A.2d 896 (1991)
- Walther v. Allstate Ins. Co., 83 Md. App. 405, 575 A.2d 339 (1990)
- Schuler v. Erie Ins. Exchange, 81 Md. App. 499, 568 A.2d 873 (1990)
- Matta v. Board of Education, 78 Md. App. 264, 552 A.2d 1340 (1989)
- McQuiggan v. Boy Scouts of America, 73 Md. App. 705, 536 A.2d 137 (1988)
- Winternitz v. Summit Hills Joint Venture, 73 Md. App. 16, 532 A.2d 1089 (1987)
- Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co. v. Miller, 305 Md. 614, 505 A.2d 1338 (1986)
Born: Cortland, New York, February 28, 1955
Education: Randolph-Macon College, B.A., with honors, 1977, Georgetown University, J.D., cum laude, 1980
Membership: Montgomery County, Maryland State and American Bar Associations; District of Columbia Bar.
Admissions: 1980, Maryland; 1981, District of Columbia; U.S. District Court, District of Maryland and District of Columbia
Miscellaneous Information: Phi Beta Kappa; Omicron Delta Kappa. Recipient, 2001 Legal Excellence Award. Member, American Criminal Law Review, 1979-1980. Law Clerk to the Hon. Philip M. Fairbanks, Sixth Judicial Circuit Court of Maryland, 1980-1981.
