Kathleen Ryan K.C. is a senior litigator with extensive experience appearing in all levels of courts in the province of Alberta.
Her focus is on consumer litigation, including catastrophic injury litigation and professional malpractice. Kathleen also has extensive experience in commercial litigation, insurance coverage litigation, and employment law.
Kathleen advances plaintiffs' claims for serious personal injury, including claims for fatality, brain injury, quadriplegia, paraplegia, spinal cord injury, fractures, chronic injuries (including chronic pain and TMJ injury) and disability. Kathleen has dealt with insurers extensively and can help plaintiffs advance their claims to resolution or trial.
Kathleen has also represented companies, shareholders, employees and government. She has provided advice and counsel in commercial, corporate and insurance disputes. Kathleen's representations include disputes respecting commercial insurance coverage, restrictive covenant and fiduciary litigation, interprovincial contractor disputes, and construction litigation. Kathleen is recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in Canada (2027 Corporate and Commercial Litigation). She was previously so recognized every year between 2016 and 2024.
In addition to her experience as a litigator, Kathleen counsels clients on and employs appropriate alternative dispute resolution strategies. Kathleen taught or evaluated at the bar admission course in negotiation for over a decade.
Kathleen Ryan has volunteered extensively within the legal community. She was an elected Bencher (Director) of the Law Society of Alberta for nine years between 2012 and 2021. She is also an adjudicator for Law Society of Alberta (Conduct and CPLED Appeals). She is a director of the Alberta Law Reform Institute. She is a past chair of both the Law Society of Alberta’s Equity Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee and the Lawyer Competence Advisory Committee.
Kathleen has presented at, or chaired numerous seminars and legal education events including: ethics in negotiation, advocacy, dealing with insurers, Rules of Court, damages, brain injury, employee evidence, affidavit evidence, internationally trained lawyers, EDI, and sexual harassment in the workplace.
