Ryan W. Vollans

Ryan Vollans is a Member in the Seattle office of Williams Kastner. His practice focuses on civil litigation, with experience in the areas of products liability, medical devices, premises liability, toxic tort, as well as in commercial litigation. Mr. Vollans is a litigator with extensive experience in all phases of civil litigation, including discovery, motion practice, trials/arbitrations, and appeals. He has represented hundreds of individuals, professionals and corporate entities—from individuals to Fortune 500 companies.  Mr. Vollans has been involved with multiple high-profile jury trials that received notable media attention.  His trial experience includes both working as part of large trial teams as well as trying cases as lead counsel. Mr. Vollans has also argued in front of Washington’s Court of Appeals on numerous occasions.

• Washington State Bar Association
• King County Bar Association
• Product Liability Advisory Council (PLAC)

• Seattle University
  School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2012
• University of Washington
  B.A., 2007

• Presenter, “Premises Liability: Stumbling Towards Fault,” WDTL, December 2014.

“Drawing a Line in the Sand: The Existence and Scope of the Duty Owed for Take Home Exposure to Asbestos Following Kesner,” ABA Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section Toxic Torts and Environmental Law Committee Newsletter, Summer 2017

Co-Author, Washington Chapter, Tort Law Desk Reference, 2020 Edition

• Taylor v. Intuitive Surgical Trial: Member of the trial team representing a medical device manufacturer in the first ever product liability case tried against the medical robot manufacturer, in which the plaintiffs asked the jury for $8,500,000, plus punitive damages. The Kitsap County jury returned a defense verdict at the end of the six-week trial.  The verdict was subsequently reversed and remanded by Washington’s Supreme Court.
• Negligent CPS Investigation and Placement Trial: Member of the trial team representing a minor child in case involving claims against the State of Washington pertaining to negligent investigation of potential child abuse and negligent placement.  Following a six-week jury trial, the jury returned a defense verdict, which was subsequently reversed on appeal.
• Product Liability Trial Against Treadmill Manufacturer: Served as second-chair in defense of a treadmill manufacturer in a two-week jury trial involving product liability claims.  The trial resulted in a defense verdict.
• Motor Vehicle Accident Trial: Lead trial counsel in defense of an individual that was sued for personal injuries following a motor vehicle accident.  Following a week long trial, the jury returned verdicts in favor of the two plaintiffs that were significantly below pre-trial demands.
• Summary Judgement Based on Lack of Jurisdiction: Argued and obtained summary judgment on behalf of a major manufacturer in a personal injury lawsuit based on the court’s lack of personal jurisdiction over the client.
• Summary Judgment for Property Owners: Argued and obtained summary judgment on behalf of business and property owners in a case involving a chlorine gas tank explosion that received national media attention.  The Court granted summary judgment, dismissing all claims against his clients, including claims brought under Washington’s Hazardous Waste Management Act.
• Summary Judgment for Manufacturer of Cold Medicines: Argued and obtained summary judgment on behalf of a manufacturer of homeopathic cold medicines based on a lack of evidence of exposure and lack of causation.
• Summary Judgment in MVA Cases: Argued and obtained summary judgment in an MVA case in which the plaintiff’s vehicle did not sustain any damage and plaintiff lacked medical evidence that he was injured as a result of the “collision.”
• Summary Judgment in MVA vs. Pedestrian Case: Argued and obtained summary judgment in a case where the plaintiff bicyclist alleged that the defendant caused the plaintiff to swerve out into traffic, where the bicyclist was struck by a city bus.
• Obtained Voluntary Dismissal After Evidence of Perjury Discovered:  Plaintiff brought a case against a school’s bus company for running over plaintiff’s dog.  During the course of discovery, video was obtained that showed the dog off-leash and running across a highway, which contradicted the plaintiff’s sworn deposition testimony where he said that the dog was on a leash and next to him when the defendant bus ran the dog over.  After the video was obtained, and while a motion for sanctions based on perjury was pending, the plaintiff agreed to voluntarily dismissal all claims against our client in exchange for the defendant agreeing not to pursue the plaintiff and plaintiff’s counsel for damages.
• Defense Verdict at Arbitration in Commercial Dispute: Obtained a defense verdict at arbitration while defending a big-box retailer against breach of contract claims.
• Defense Verdict & Counter Claims at Arbitration in Commercial Dispute: Obtained a defense verdict at arbitration on behalf of a big-box retailer against breach of contract claims, and received an award for damages based on the client’s counter claims for breach of contract.
• Jurisdictional Dispute at Court of Appeals: Prepared appellate briefing and argued in front of Washington’s Court of Appeals, his client’s lack of personal jurisdiction defense (client was a foreign manufacturer).
• Appeal of Summary Judgment at the Court of Appeals: After obtaining summary judgment on behalf of manufacturing client in a wrongful death case, prepared and argued the appellate briefing in front of Washington’s Court of Appeals.