Ryan J. Murphy
RYAN J. MURPHY focuses his practice on the defense of complex litigation matters, particularly those involving catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death, including in automobile and trucking negligence, product liability, and premises liability cases. His expertise also extends to handling construction defect matters, insurance coverage issues, commercial disputes, fraud, subrogation and recovery, and general liability litigation cases. He is adept at defending corporate entities and individuals in high-stakes litigation.
Mr. Murphy has extensive litigation experience in the state and federal courts of both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He is licensed to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and admitted to practice in all Federal Courts in Pennsylvania and New Jersey including the United States District Courts of New Jersey, and the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining the Firm, he honed his skills as an Associate at a regional insurance defense law firm, focusing on automobile negligence, premises liability, construction defect, and workers’ compensation cases.
Upon graduating from Rutgers University School of Law-Camden, Mr. Murphy served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Michael J. Donohue, J.S.C. (Ret.), in the Criminal Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Cape May County. He also mediated civil cases in the Special Civil Part. His legal education was distinguished by his role as Lead Notes Editor of the Rutgers Journal of Law and Religion and his work as a student attorney in the Rutgers Law School Advanced Civil Practice Clinic. He also interned with the Honorable Jean K. FitzSimon (Ret.) in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Murphy holds a B.A. in History and Politics from Ursinus College, where he was a goalkeeper for the Men’s Soccer team, served on the leadership council, and received multiple Centennial Conference awards.
Mr. Murphy is Of Counsel in the Firm’s Litigation and Insurance Services Practice Group. He also currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Young Lawyers Division of the Philadelphia Bar Association.
Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances
- Brown v. Brooks, et al. (U.S.D.C., E.D.P.A., 2024). Represented major commercial trucking client and secured dismissal in a case with a $70 million demand. Successfully defended a major vehicle leasing company in a high-stakes negligence case involving allegations of negligent entrustment and failure to maintain leased vehicles. Obtained summary judgment on all claims by leveraging statutory protections and demonstrating compliance with maintenance and operational standards, resulting in a complete dismissal of the client. The Court entered summary judgment and dismissed a negligent entrustment claim holding a longstanding relationship between a commercial lessor and lessee does not itself automatically establish a commercial lessor’s notice that the lessee may hire an incompetent driver. In dismissing a negligent maintenance claim the court held a lessor’s duty to maintain its vehicles is triggered only by notice of a defect; the presence of a purported defect alone is insufficient. Despite the plaintiff’s experts claiming the truck was unroadworthy due to an “out-of-spec” braking system, the court agreed that a commercial lessor has no obligation to inspect beyond regular maintenance intervals.
- Kristen Behrens, as Administratrix of the Estate of James McCafferty, Jr. v. Gary Byrd, et al. (NJ Superior Court Law Division-Camden County, 2024). Represented Hesh’s Seafood, Inc., a wholesale seafood distributor. Successfully defended Hesh’s in a wrongful death/survival action. The case involved claims brought by the Estate of Decedent who was fatally injured while operating a box truck owned by Hesh’s during his employment. The plaintiff alleged that the condition of Hesh’s truck contributed to the accident and that Decedent was an independent contractor and sought damages under New Jersey’s Wrongful Death and Survival Statutes. However, discovery revealed no evidence to support these claims and supported Decedent was in the course and scope of his employment. Police reports, deposition testimony, and expert reports attributed fault for the accident solely to a third-party driver, with no indication that the truck’s condition played a role. Hesh’s argued for summary judgment based on two primary defenses: 1. Workers’ Compensation Immunity: As McCafferty’s employer, Hesh’s was protected under New Jersey’s Workers’ Compensation Act, barring tort claims and 2. Lack of Causation Evidence: The plaintiff failed to establish that the condition of Hesh’s truck contributed to the accident or Decedent’s death. The Superior Court of New Jersey granted summary judgment in favor of Hesh’s, as the Plaintiff had no basis to oppose the Motion, dismissing all claims with prejudice.
RYAN J. MURPHY focuses his practice on the defense of complex litigation matters, particularly those involving catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death, including in automobile and trucking negligence, product liability, and premises liability cases. His expertise also extends to handling construction defect matters, insurance coverage issues, commercial disputes, fraud, subrogation and recovery, and general liability litigation cases. He is adept at defending corporate entities and individuals in high-stakes litigation.
Mr. Murphy has extensive litigation experience in the state and federal courts of both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He is licensed to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and admitted to practice in all Federal Courts in Pennsylvania and New Jersey including the United States District Courts of New Jersey, and the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining the Firm, he honed his skills as an Associate at a regional insurance defense law firm, focusing on automobile negligence, premises liability, construction defect, and workers’ compensation cases.
Upon graduating from Rutgers University School of Law-Camden, Mr. Murphy served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Michael J. Donohue, J.S.C. (Ret.), in the Criminal Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Cape May County. He also mediated civil cases in the Special Civil Part. His legal education was distinguished by his role as Lead Notes Editor of the Rutgers Journal of Law and Religion and his work as a student attorney in the Rutgers Law School Advanced Civil Practice Clinic. He also interned with the Honorable Jean K. FitzSimon (Ret.) in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Murphy holds a B.A. in History and Politics from Ursinus College, where he was a goalkeeper for the Men’s Soccer team, served on the leadership council, and received multiple Centennial Conference awards.
Mr. Murphy is Of Counsel in the Firm’s Litigation and Insurance Services Practice Group. He also currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Young Lawyers Division of the Philadelphia Bar Association.
Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances
- Brown v. Brooks, et al. (U.S.D.C., E.D.P.A., 2024). Represented major commercial trucking client and secured dismissal in a case with a $70 million demand. Successfully defended a major vehicle leasing company in a high-stakes negligence case involving allegations of negligent entrustment and failure to maintain leased vehicles. Obtained summary judgment on all claims by leveraging statutory protections and demonstrating compliance with maintenance and operational standards, resulting in a complete dismissal of the client. The Court entered summary judgment and dismissed a negligent entrustment claim holding a longstanding relationship between a commercial lessor and lessee does not itself automatically establish a commercial lessor’s notice that the lessee may hire an incompetent driver. In dismissing a negligent maintenance claim the court held a lessor’s duty to maintain its vehicles is triggered only by notice of a defect; the presence of a purported defect alone is insufficient. Despite the plaintiff’s experts claiming the truck was unroadworthy due to an “out-of-spec” braking system, the court agreed that a commercial lessor has no obligation to inspect beyond regular maintenance intervals.
- Kristen Behrens, as Administratrix of the Estate of James McCafferty, Jr. v. Gary Byrd, et al. (NJ Superior Court Law Division-Camden County, 2024). Represented Hesh’s Seafood, Inc., a wholesale seafood distributor. Successfully defended Hesh’s in a wrongful death/survival action. The case involved claims brought by the Estate of Decedent who was fatally injured while operating a box truck owned by Hesh’s during his employment. The plaintiff alleged that the condition of Hesh’s truck contributed to the accident and that Decedent was an independent contractor and sought damages under New Jersey’s Wrongful Death and Survival Statutes. However, discovery revealed no evidence to support these claims and supported Decedent was in the course and scope of his employment. Police reports, deposition testimony, and expert reports attributed fault for the accident solely to a third-party driver, with no indication that the truck’s condition played a role. Hesh’s argued for summary judgment based on two primary defenses: 1. Workers’ Compensation Immunity: As McCafferty’s employer, Hesh’s was protected under New Jersey’s Workers’ Compensation Act, barring tort claims and 2. Lack of Causation Evidence: The plaintiff failed to establish that the condition of Hesh’s truck contributed to the accident or Decedent’s death. The Superior Court of New Jersey granted summary judgment in favor of Hesh’s, as the Plaintiff had no basis to oppose the Motion, dismissing all claims with prejudice.