Ryan’s practice covers a broad spectrum of defense litigation, including general & professional liability, insurance coverage and labor and employment. He successfully represents various corporations and entrepreneurial clients throughout Illinois in both state and federal courts.

He brings considerable insight to the firm, having gained experience serving as in-house counsel for two major national corporations. He was responsible for all legal and contractual matters, consulted and advised C-suite personnel, and managed a high volume of various internal corporate affairs.

Ryan is actively involved in the legal community, mentoring and volunteering at Coordinated Advice & Referral Program for Legal Services and HFS Chicago Scholars.  

• Education:

  • J.D., Chicago-Kent College of Law, Chicago, IL, 2003
  • B.A., University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, Champaign, IL, 2000

• Professional Memberships & Associations:

  • Association of Corporate Counsel
  • Cancer Legal Resource Center
  • Chicago Bar Association
  • Illinois Defense Counsel 
  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • State Bar Association of Wisconsin 

• Seminars & Presentations:

  • “Illinois & Indiana Workers’ Compensation Subrogation Claims & Liens,” Downey & Lenkov Client, June 2025
  • “Specialty Lines Training,” Downey & Lenkov Client, June 2025
  • “Investigating Claims,” Downey & Lenkov Client, March 2025
  • “Wisconsin Worker’s Compensation – Investigation Strategies,” Downey & Lenkov Clients, November 2024
  • “Premises Liability for Owners and Employers in Illinois & Wisconsin: A Primer on Slippery Legal Conditions,” Downey & Lenkov Clients, July 2024
  • “IL, IN and WI Workers’ Compensation Liens & Subrogation Recovery: There’s More Than Meets the Eye,” Downey & Lenkov Clients, February 2024
  • “Examples of Employer Do’s & Don’ts,” Downey & Lenkov Clients, January 2024
  • “Defending Failure to Procure Claim – The Best Offense” Professional Liability Defense Federation, September 2023
  • “How to Bring Illinois Employee Handbooks Into Compliance,” National Business Institute, March 2023
  • “Claims Training,” Texas Insurance, October 2022

• Articles & Publications:

  • Wisconsin Court rules that structural defects, which have been unchanged since installation, are barred by the statute of repose, General Liability Newsletter, October 2025
  • Allegations of Sex and Age Discrimination in Wisconsin Defeated by Consistent Performance Concerns, Downey & Lenkov Labor and Employment Blog, July 2025
  • Illinois Appellate Court Holds Hotel Has No Duty to Guest for Unforeseeable Suicide, Downey & Lenkov General Liability Newsletter, June 2025
  • Wisconsin Retaliation Claims When Attempting To Enforce A Right, Downey & Lenkov Labor and Employment Newsletter, March 2025
  • Wisconsin Court of Appeals Rules that Homeowners are not Third-party Beneficiaries of Contracts Between General Contractors and
  • Subcontractors, Downey & Lenkov General Liability Newsletter, October 2024
  • Implications of FTC Rule Banning Employers Use of Non-Compete Agreement, Downey & Lenkov Labor and Employment Newsletter, July 2024
  • Wisconsin Includes Exposure to Asbestos as Basis for Recovery Under Wisconsin Safe Place Statute, Downey & Lenkov General Liability Newsletter, May 2024