Ryan M. Neri

Ryan Neri is a partner at WSHB’s Chicago office. He is a trial lawyer who focuses his practice on defending construction, professional liability, liquor liability and Dram Shop Act, transportation matters including truck accident litigation and catastrophic accident response and containment and other complex civil litigation matters in Illinois and Wisconsin. He also handles labor and employment matters, cybersecurity and data privacy matters, including breach response cases, and state/federal enforcement of data privacy statutes including litigation arising out of the Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). Ryan is skilled in all aspects of litigation, from inception through trial. His trial experience includes Cook County - a notoriously plaintiff friendly jurisdiction - where he has received defense verdicts on behalf of our clients. Ryan has successfully argued and won several motions for summary judgment in general liability and high exposure construction cases. He has used his extensive litigation experience to obtain favorable results during arbitrations and large scale mediations.

Before joining WSHB, Ryan worked at a Chicago litigation firm successfully defending large retail establishments and national restaurant groups sued for violations of the Illinois Dram Shop, a unique statutory cause of action enforcing strict liability on restaurants, or other establishments that sell alcohol, for a plaintiff’s injuries caused by another patron’s intoxication. Despite imposing strict liability, Ryan obtained several defense verdicts at trial and obtained summary judgment based upon his comprehensive knowledge of the Act’s intricacies and arguments distinctive to defeating liability. Ryan’s knowledge made him a leading figure in the Chicago area in this field, gaining respect from his peers and opposing counsels.

Ryan graduated cum laude from John Marshall Law School in Chicago while also working as a legal writing teacher’s assistant for first year law students. Following graduation, he gained litigation defense experience at a midsize Chicago law firm specializing in aviation cases. Specifically, Ryan represented major airline clients in personal injury matters, and airplane parts manufacturers in wrongful death and products liability cases pending across the United States in both state and federal jurisdictions.

Newsroom

News

•Illinois Amends Biometric Privacy Act: Significant Change Limiting Liability for Multiple Violations
Case Updates, 10.15.24
•Illinois Supreme Court Advances Big Change in Construction Defect Matters
Case Updates, 2.13.24
•20 WSHB Attorneys Elected Into Partnership
Firm News, 1.9.23

Publications

•Boundaries of Absolute Privilege: What’s Fair Game in High Stakes Litigation
Case Updates, 11.14.24
•Navigating Biometric Privacy Claims and the Catchall Provision
Case Updates, 4.29.24
•Illinois Supreme Court: Businesses Liable for Biometric Data Exchanges Without Consent
Case Updates, 6.12.23

In the News

•WSHB Chicago Secures Decisive Victory for Property Management Company with Open and Obvious Defense
•Boundaries of Absolute Privilege: What’s Fair Game in High Stakes Litigation
•Illinois Amends Biometric Privacy Act: Significant Change Limiting Liability for Multiple Violations
•Navigating Biometric Privacy Claims and the Catchall Provision