Hon. Daniel P. Ryan (Ret.)

Founder of MI-JADR and former Presiding Judge of the 3rd Circuit Business Court, Judge Ryan has personally mediated or arbitrated more than 8,000 matters since 2015 after 22 years on the bench.

Judge Ryan founded MI-JADR in August 2015 following more than 22 years on the Michigan bench. Appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court, he served as Presiding Judge of the 3rd Circuit Business Court from 2013 through 2015 and sat on the Court's Docket Review and Executive Committees. He earlier served on the 17th District Court from 1994, including as Presiding Judge, and has sat by Supreme Court assignment on the Michigan Court of Appeals and Court of Claims. He was rated "Outstanding" by the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association and named a DBusiness Top Judge in 2015.

Before taking the bench he practiced at one of Michigan's five largest law firms, handling complex commercial, business, banking, construction, product liability, medical malpractice, tort and premises liability matters. He is licensed in all state and federal courts in Michigan and Indiana, the Sixth Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court, and served on the Michigan State Board of Architects and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.

A Certified Civil Case Mediator through the National Judicial College since 2012 with Advanced Civil Case Mediation training, Judge Ryan is also a neutral arbitrator on the American Arbitration Association panel. He has been on the faculty of the National Judicial College since 1996, chaired its Faculty Council, and has taught judges from across the United States, the People's Republic of China, Australia, the Philippines, Nigeria, Macedonia and the Pacific Rim.

Judge Ryan is the author of two books and nine law review articles and has taught Evidence, Trial Advocacy, Construction Law, Advanced Contracts and Advanced Torts as a visiting professor at Ave Maria, Toledo, Cooley and Detroit Mercy law schools. From 2012 to 2014 he was Kaplan's lead national Evidence faculty member for bar review.

Credentials

• Presiding Judge, 3rd Circuit Business Court (2013–2015)
• Judge, 3rd Judicial Circuit and 17th District Court (1994–2015)
• NJC Certified Civil Case Mediator; Advanced Civil Case Mediation
• American Arbitration Association neutral arbitrator
• Faculty, National Judicial College since 1996; former Chair, Faculty Council
• 8,000+ matters mediated or arbitrated since 2015

Download curriculum vitae (PDF) →

Education

• JD, University of Notre Dame Law School
• MA and PhD, University of Nevada (Judicial Studies)
• BA History, honors, University of Detroit