James Ryan practices in two distinct areas, complex business litigation and environmental litigation.
Mr. Ryan has been litigating complex business matters for over a decade. His business litigation includes disputes involving corporate governance, breach of fiduciary duty, stockholder claims and partnership claims and director and officer liability issues in a variety of industries including real estate and financial services. Mr. Ryan has also represented creditors in corporate bankruptcy matters.
Mr. Ryan focuses his environmental practice on Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, And Liability Act (CERCLA) and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) matters and their state analogs. His clients include large multi-national corporations in a variety of sectors, including the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries.
Mr. Ryan combines a skilled understanding of technical issues with an ability to manage multi-party disputes and voluminous documentation to provide clients with winning strategies. He has led clients to successful settlements in the face of the complex and uncertain nature of CERCLA law.
Representative Work
Procter & Gamble Company – Superfund Litigation. Representing P&G individually and serving as common counsel to a 15-member third-party defendant group that includes P&G in an ongoing Superfund cost recovery action in the Eastern District of New York. The action involves the former Quanta Resources petroleum reprocessing site in Queens.
Mead Johnson Nutrition Company – Superfund Litigation. Represented the company in the defense of a multi-party Superfund cost recovery action in Indiana asserting strict liability and prosecuted third-party contribution claims. His aggressive defense led to the negotiation of a favorable settlement for the client.
Corporate governance. Represented part owner of a large, private owner and operator of resorts on the East Coast in the defense of an action brought by minority owners for breach of fiduciary duty and corporate governance claims.
Stratesec. Represented the receiver in the dissolution of a public security firm and related litigation against former officers and directors.
Electronics Manufacturer – Patent Infringement Litigation. Successfully defended an international electronics manufacturer in a patent infringement action. Achieved a favorable result for the client and won an award of attorneys' fees against the plaintiff, based upon the plaintiff's inequitable conduct.