Ryan Richman | McCarter & English, LLP

Ryan Richman is a highly experienced trial attorney and litigator, valued by clients for his deep knowledge of New Jersey state and federal courts, his pragmatic and sound business advice, and his proven ability to favorably resolve high-stakes disputes across the country.

Ryan is a trial lawyer who has a diverse practice representing clients in a wide range of product liability, toxic tort, environmental law claims, natural resource damages (NRD) claims, complex commercial litigation, and catastrophic personal injury cases.

Ryan chairs McCarter’s Products Liability, Mass Torts & Consumer Class Actions practice.

Ryan’s environmental works includes leading a team defending claims involving the newly emerging contaminant PFAS, including day to day management of NRD, personal injury, and public utilities cases throughout the country. Ryan served as a trial partner representing Chemours in national litigation involving a state directive for cleanup of PFAS-related natural resource damages, claims for natural resource damages (NRD) and NRD assessments brought in several states (including New Jersey) involving PFAS or other alleged contaminants, claims for damages by various water utilities in several states, and ones involving toxic tort, product liability, medical monitoring, and putative class action claims.

Ryan also has substantial products liability experience, involving both single-plaintiff, mass tort, and class action claims against manufacturers and service providers in a variety of industries, ranging from pharmaceutical companies to construction materials and equipment manufacturers. He has experience defending industrial machinery (i.e. aerial work platforms, cranes, fork lift attachments and paving machines), consumer products (i.e. lamps, motorcycle gloves, roofing shingles, tables, toilets and water supply connectors), pharmaceutical products (i.e. anti-depressant medications and talcum powder), contaminants (PFAS), and asbestos (flooring materials, pool heaters, ships, and valves).

Based on his ability to secure favorable outcomes at every stage of litigation, both in the trial court and at the appellate levels, Ryan is a sought-after defense counsel for clients involved in these types of disputes. In addition to his work in the courtroom, Ryan regularly counsels clients on risk avoidance, FDA packaging compliance, and warranty compliance issues.

In his complex commercial practice, Ryan has successfully handled a wide variety of disputes, including on behalf of commercial developers, appraisal providers and investment funds.

As a representative of the New Jersey Defense Association, Ryan has served since 2018 on the Model Civil Jury Charge Committee, a standing committee of the New Jersey Supreme Court which prepares and updates model civil jury charges to be useful to trial judges and litigants to instruct juries. He has served as an New Jersey Defense Association Board Member since 2015 and was the organization’s President for the 2021–2022 term.

Committed to public service and a leader in the community, Ryan is involved in complex guardianship and estate matters in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division, Probate Part, as a pro bono court-appointed attorney representing the interests of allegedly incapacitated persons. He additionally represents individuals seeking citizenship in the United States from KIND (Kids in Need of Defense) and abused women in domestic violence and family matters seeking protection from Partners for Women and Justice. Ryan’s extensive pro bono work has been nationally recognized by KIND twice – Ryan was named pro bono attorney of the month in 2017, and he was presented with the 2018 pro bono award.

Outside the office, Ryan has served as a Board member of the Franklin Lakes School District Board of Education since 2019. He is also a Board member of CASA for Children of Essex County, which promotes the welfare of children who have been removed from their homes because of abuse, neglect or abandonment by providing a safety net of support, advocacy, and mentorship by training and supervising volunteers to advocate on their behalf in court.

Represent chemical companies The Chemours Company; The Chemours Company FC, LLC; and EIDP, Inc. in responding to national litigation involving a state directive for statewide cleanup of newly emerging contaminants (PFAS), claims for natural resource damages (NRD) and NRD assessments brought in several states (including New Jersey) involving PFAS or other alleged contaminants, claims for damages by various water utilities in several states, and ones involving toxic tort, product liability, medical monitoring, and putative class action claims.

Secured a victory at the NJ Supreme Court for real estate management and holding companies in their defense against a putative class action lawsuit asserting claims under the NJ Consumer Fraud Act. The NJ Supreme Court reversed the decisions of the Appellate Division and trial court, and agreed with our position that class action waivers may be enforced even when they are not contained in arbitration provisions.

Represented Genie Industries in a product liability suit in the District of New Jersey in which the plaintiff asserted claims of design defect and failure to warn. After granting a Daubert motion to exclude expert testimony as unreliable and inadmissible, the Court also granted a motion for summary judgment, ruling that the plaintiffs had failed to provide evidence to support their claims.

Successfully defended a global manufacturer of lifting and material processing in federal court action brought by plaintiff seeking damages for serious injuries arising out of workplace accident. Filed winning Daubert motion to exclude plaintiff’s expert before securing summary judgment of action.

Counsel for amicus curiae, New Jersey Defense Association, in an appeal relating to a residential homeowner’s duty to maintain sidewalks abutting their property. Decter v. Hejib, Docket No. A-3073-16T3, Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division (2018).

Counsel for a valuation and advisory services firm in litigation related to the failed financing and residential development of a subdivision project on a golf course in Stone Harbor, New Jersey.

Regularly represents a residential homebuilder in lawsuits related to bodily injuries allegedly suffered at residential developments and construction sites.

Co-counsel in the defense of the North American arm of a multinational lighting products manufacturer against a plaintiff’s claims that her son’s death by overdose was the result of a narcotic’s addiction he had developed as a result of being electrocuted while attempting to change a light bulb that was manufactured by our client in a warehouse. Obtained dismissal of plaintiff's survivorship claims with prejudice in New Jersey state court, as they had been filed two years after the statute of limitations had expired.

Counsel for a children’s school furniture manufacturer in litigation involving an alleged injury caused by a school lunch table. After securing an order granting summary judgment on grounds that the expert’s opinion should be excluded due to inadmissible “net opinions” regarding the alleged defect, we amicably resolved all claims.

Counsel for a foreign motorcycle equipment manufacturer in litigation involving personal injuries as a result of a motorcycle accident in Birmingham, Alabama. Filed winning motion to dismiss in New Jersey federal court on jurisdictional grounds resulting in the case being transferred to Michigan where we obtained a resolution.

Counsel for a crane component supplier in suit brought by plaintiff who claimed he suffered serious injuries when he grabbed a high-voltage power cable with his bare hands. Amicably resolved this matter on the eve of closing arguments during three-week trial.

Counsel for an international supplier of construction equipment in a case brought in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Union County, by a decedent’s estate and his spouse and children, who claimed that he died when he fell off a vibratory compactor that was defectively designed and should have contained additional safety measures (i.e., a seatbelt interlock) to prevent his death.

Obtained summary judgment for a national manufacturer of roofing products dismissing a product liability/construction defect case involving plaintiffs’ claims that the roofing materials used on a multimillion-dollar home in Kinnelon, NJ were defective and caused significant water damage and mold to the home, in addition to a myriad of other construction defect claims against other defendants. After dismissing several claims at the pleading stage, the court disposed of the remainder of claims via successful motion for summary judgment, which was upheld on appeal, and we defeated a petition for verification to the NJ Supreme Court.

Represented a German life settlement investment firm as plaintiff asserting fraud, negligent misrepresentation, breach of contract claims, and other causes of action against defendants who induced client into purchasing a multimillion dollar life insurance policy based upon false and misleading representations.

Represents clients in litigation involving exposure to asbestos from commercial and industrial products, including cosmetic talc and telecommunications equipment.

Regularly represents an elevator and escalator manufacturer in lawsuits related to bodily injuries allegedly suffered.

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