Ryan C. Donlon

Mr. Donlon is an associate in Severson & Werson's insurance group. He represents underwriters’ interests in liability and coverage litigation, and also serves as monitoring counsel. Mr. Donlon also practices in the firm's admiralty group, litigating all manner of maritime actions.

In law school, Ryan externed for Chief Magistrate Judge Patricia V. Trumbull in the U.S. District Court, and for Justice Patricia Bamattre-Manoukian in California's Sixth District Court of Appeal. He was also on the Board of Founders for the Santa Clara Journal of International Law and was an Articles Editor for that publication. Ryan was awarded the Excellence for the Future Award in Constitutional Law and a Certificate in International Technology Law. Finally, Ryan spent a term studying law at Oxford University’s Magdalen College.

Continuing his legal education, Ryan is presently pursuing an LL.M. degree in International Business Law through the University of London's distance studies program. The curriculum includes marine insurance, international arbitration, and trade law. En route to his LL.M., Ryan has been awarded, with a special mark for Merit, a Postgraduate Certificate in Maritime Law.

Mr. Donlon is actively involved in many professional and trade associations, including the U.S. Maritime Law Association, the Pacific Admiralty Seminar Steering Committee, the Association of Marine Underwriters of San Francisco, and the San Francisco Marine Claims Association. He also actively participates in public interest organizations, including the Commonwealth Club of California, the Northern California World Affairs Council, and the California Historical Society.

Recent Professional Activity

Argued multi-issue appeal in Greenwood v. Murphy, et ux (A154057) before the California Court of Appeal (First District), resulting in partial reversal (November 2008).

Successfully argued (with Katherine A. Wadley) appeal before California Court of Appeal resulting in published decision in Ford Motor Credit Company v. Hunsberger (2008) 163 Cal.App.4th 1526 (review den.).

Submitted amicus curiae brief (with Forrest Booth) to the United States Supreme Court on behalf of The Maritime Law Association in National Casualty Company v. Lockheed Martin Corporation, Case No. 07-948.

Authored "Accepted in Good Faith: Comment on New Hampshire Ins. Co. v. C'Est Moi, Inc," The Maritime Advocate, Issue 334 (April 2008).

Authored " Uberrimae Fidei : Comment on Underwriters v. Inlet Fisheries, Inc.," The Maritime Advocate, Issue 340  (February 2008).

Co-author (with Austin B. Kenney), "Blackstone to Buzgheia: Law & Procedure in Assessing Special Damages," ADC Comment (vol. 22, no. 1, Spring 2007).