Hon. Judith M. Ryan (Ret.) is known for her keen ability to quickly grasp the strengths and weaknesses of a case and is highly effective in guiding parties toward settlement. Judge Ryan is universally described as being prepared, interprets the law and applies the facts in her arbitration hearings, and returns awards with a reasoned opinion in a timely fashion.
ADR Experience and Qualifications
- Full time mediator/arbitrator since 1989 with extensive expertise in a wide variety of matters including business/commercial, construction (defect and coverage issues) and employment disputes
- Referee in state court proceedings and Special Master in state and federal courts
- Thirty-two years' experience resolving civil disputes as a lawyer, judge and arbitrator through trials, arbitrations, mediations and voluntary settlement conferences
- During her distinguished career on the Orange County Superior Court, handled complex litigation, presided over more than 500 settlement conferences, served as Supervising Judge of the Law and Motion Dept. for two years and selected as one of four initial jurists for the expedited trial program
- Handled all aspects of public entity civil liability law and negotiated/litigated employment matters during her tenure at the City of Santa Ana/Santa Ana Police Department
- Responsible for all outside litigation nationwide as corporate counsel for Hunt Wesson, Foods, Inc., negotiated and drafted commercial contracts and investigated employment discrimination claims
Representative Matters
- General Commercial: Broad range of complex civil cases involving issues of contract interpretation, buy-sell agreements (including appraisals of real property and businesses), unfair competition, and insurance coverage disputes
- Product Development: Has arbitrated numerous product development disputes in a variety of technical industries including the cable industry and medical device development
- Partnership Disputes: Determined partnership disputes and dissolutions involving a variety of businesses including professional medical and legal partnership disputes which have required accountings
- Real Property: Real property matters have included large commercial landlord/tenant disputes, development agreements, construction disputes including defect and environmental issues and property appraisal issues
- Employment: Arbitrated many cases involving employment compensation agreements including executive employment agreements in addition to discrimination cases by employees based on all statutory grounds including age, race, religion, sex, sexual harassment and sexual orientation
