Ryan P. Theriault
Partner
After graduating from DePaul University College of Law in the top 10% of his class and passing the bar, Ryan P. Theriault immediately began practice as a trial attorney to pursue his passion to help those who have been harmed by others and to provide them with a better grasp of the law along the way.
Ryan is a life-long resident of the Chicago and Fox Valley area and feels a strong commitment to his community which is reflected in his approach when representing families harmed by the negligence of others.
“You have to put yourself in their shoes to truly understand their pain and suffering,” Theriault explains. “If someone has been injured on the job and their employer or the insurance company has taken away their weekly paycheck, the only means of supporting their family, they throw themselves completely in your lap. At that point, we are prepared to fight on their behalf.”
Prior to practicing law, Ryan worked for a large Chicago-area police department. Ryan’s previous work experience shaped his special interest in representing public safety officers who have been injured as a result of their dedicated service to others.
His commitment to protecting those who serve our community has qualified him as one of the few lawyers in Illinois that is familiar with all aspects of handling police injury law, workers’ compensation claims, disability pension matters and cases under the disability pension act. Ryan has obtained millions of dollars in settlements and benefits for our country’s civil servants. He had the distinct honor of representing an injured police officer against the Village of Carpentersville in the Appellate Court of Illinois involving a matter of first impression in which the definition of what constitutes an emergency under the public safety benefits act was established.
Mr. Theriault has also proved to have a successful track record taking on large pharmaceutical companies, major corporations, and negligent drivers handling personal injury matters involving automobile accidents, catastrophic injury, premises liability and wrongful death. Ryan has obtained significant recoveries for his clients including hundreds of millions of dollars for victims of dangerous drugs, defective medical devices, and significant recoveries for former NFL players injured as a result to their commitment to the National Football League.
Ryan has served on the Illinois Bar Foundation Board of Directors since 2018, accepting appointments to the Lawyers Care Committee, the Fellows Advisory Committee, as well as Co-Chairing their annual Lawyers Rock concert fundraiser. In July 2020, Ryan was elected as Third Vice President and currently serves on the Executive Committee. Over his year long term, Ryan will continue to advance the foundation’s mission to ensure meaningful access to the justice system, especially for those with limited means, and assist lawyers who can no longer support themselves due to incapacity or disability.
Ryan is licensed to practice in the State of Illinois and Illinois’ Northern District of the U.S. District Court. He is a proud member of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, American Association for Justice, and the Illinois State Bar Association where he served on the Assembly. In addition, Ryan served as co-chair of the New Lawyers’ Division and chair of the Workers Compensation Committee of the Kane County Bar Division.
In 2012, Ryan was profiled by his alma mater, DePaul University, in “Success Stories from Alumni under 40.”
When not devoting his time and efforts to his clients, Ryan offers his expertise to not for profits and charitable organizations. He has presented at numerous Continuing Legal Education seminars and is a published author on topics of Workers Compensation issues.
Outside of the office, Ryan is a supporter of Special Olympics Illinois, Operation Support Our Troops, Living Well Cancer Research Center, Evan Scholars Foundation, Concussion Legacy Foundation, and the U.S. Basketball Foundation among other charitable organizations. Ryan also spends his time coaching his local area’s youth basketball team.
Notable Cases and Results:
- $2.4 billion on behalf of individuals injured by a defective Diabetes drug
- $200 million on behalf of 40 people killed in a train explosion
- $1.45 million product liability settlement
- Six-figure workers’ compensation settlement for SWAT team commander injured on duty
- Representing numerous former NFL players in the $1 billion concussion settlement
- Obtained settlements for lifetime medical care and health insurance for injured police officers, firefighters, and municipalities in the Chicagoland area
Bar Admissions:
State of Illinois
Illinois’ Northern District of the U.S. District Court
Law School:
DePaul University College of Law, J.D.
Undergraduate School:
DePaul University, B.A.
BAR/PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION INVOLVEMENT:
- Illinois Bar FoundationBoard of Directors (2018 – Present)
- Fellows Advisory Committee (2018 – Present)
- Lawyers Rock Committee (2017 – Present)
- Third Vice President (2020 – 2021)
- Second Vice President (2021 – Present)
- Illinois State Bar Association Assembly (2013 – 2019)
- Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
- Kane County Bar Association
- Co-Chair, New Lawyers Division (2008)
- Chair, Workers’ Compensation Committee
AWARDS; HONORS; DISTINCTIONS:
- The Best Lawyers in America “Best Lawyer” (2020-Present)
- Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs (2020-Present)
- Workers’ Compensation Law – Claimants (2020-Present)
- Leading Lawyers “Leading Lawyers” (2007-Present)
- Personal Injury Law: General
- Workers’ Compensation Law
- Leading Lawyer “Emerging Lawyer” (2015-2017)
- Super Lawyers “Super Lawyer” (2017- Present)
- Super Lawyer “Rising Star” (2014-2017)
- The National Trial Lawyers “Top 100” (2014)
- Work Injury Law Group (WILG) “Top 100 Injured Workers’ Attorney” (2014)
- DePaul University “Success stories from Alumni under 40” (2012)
