Ryan D. Burns

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    Ryan is a longstanding member of the firm's Casualty Department and has considerable experience with a wide variety of casualty matters.  A substantial portion of Ryan’s practice is devoted to the handling of matters with complex theories of liability, often involving catastrophic loss and/or wrongful death.  They include claims emanating from product liability, construction and equipment accidents, automotive liability, interstate trucking and transportation, negligent security, premises and retail liability, among many others.  As an example of this complexity, Ryan has litigated several matters where causation for death was at issue such as alleged complications from surgeries and alleged food borne illnesses (e. coli, vibrio), and has handled numerous multi-party claims involving demands in excess of $50 million.

    As a litigator with experience in a multitude of casualty disciplines from the general to the specialized, including asbestos and toxic tort, maritime and fraud/special investigation, Ryan serves as thought leader and mentor to associates in his office. He has also argued appeals before the Second, Third, and Fourth District Courts of Appeal.

    Ryan's legal career started as a prosecutor with Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office, which provided him with considerable litigation experience and familiarity with the criminal justice system. This was a continuation of his focus on litigation during his legal education at Indiana University School of Law - Bloomington where he was in Moot Court (finalist and competition team) and the school's trial competition team.  In combination with his civil career at Marshall Dennehey, Ryan has tried approximately 20 jury trials to verdict, including several complex multi-party and Wrongful Death matters spanning weeks in court.

    Ryan is a Florida native, born and raised in Cocoa Beach in Brevard County and attending the University of Florida as an undergraduate where he studied theoretical physics and mathematics before leaving Florida for law school with his wife.  He now is based out of Fort Lauderdale where he and his wife are raising two daughters, and in his spare time trains for obstacle course racing and triathlons.

    Significant Representative Matters

    Obtained a defense verdict in a wrongful death/negligent security claim, where demand was $10 million, by arguing that the claimant was a trespasser at the time of the shooting. 

    Obtained defense verdicts in several premises liability trials on the basis that clients were not negligent.

    Obtained summary judgments in several negligence cases on issues ranging from workers' compensation immunity to insufficient evidence of negligence. 

    Classes/Seminars Taught

    New Florida Tort Reform Changes Under HB 837, Tampa Bay RIMS Chapter Meeting, Tampa, FL, October 18, 2023

    56 Feds are Coming: Strategies Using the Upcoming Florida Summary Judgment Standard, Marshall Dennehey Client Webinar, January 15, 2021

    When Lithium Batteries Fail and What to do About it – panel, 2019 CLM Southeast Conference, Orlando, FL, October, 2019

    ETHICS: The Tripartite Relationship and Bad Faith Claims, Marshall Dennehey Florida Claims Symposium – Casino Royale, Tampa, FL, September 20, 2018

    Discussions of Recent Florida Case law Developments Regarding EUO Methodology and Limitations, FIFEC - Florida Insurance Fraud Education Committee, Orlando, FL, June 2012

    Florida Premises Liability Law and the Affect of Medicare Liens on Settlements, client seminar, October 2011

    Published Works

    "GEICO Case Opens Door to Depose Plaintiff's Physician," Daily Business Review, April 1, 2013

    Legal Teaching Position

    Certified Instructor in Adjuster Law and Policy by the Florida Department of Financial Services, Bureau of Licensing

    Admissions
    Florida
    2006
    U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida
    2008
    U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida
    2019
    Education
    Indiana University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2006)
    University of Florida (B.S., Mathmatics,2003)
    Honors & awards
    Florida Super Lawyers Rising Star
    2013-2020
    Associations & memberships
    American Bar Association
    Year joined
    2008