Ryan M. Barnett

Ryan is a California native from an active duty Air Force family and credits his father’s 28-year military aviation career for bringing him to the Gulf Coast. He maintains a broad based litigation practice and serves as general counsel to numerous local businesses. His strong litigation background is coupled with the experience of having handled numerous state and federal appeals, including successful practice before the Florida Supreme Court. Ryan has served as an adjunct instructor at the Pensacola State College in the area of business law. Prior to joining the firm, he worked for a respected regional defense firm representing insurance companies and employers and was a regular seminar speaker.

Ryan has been selected by Florida Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star,” an honor extended to only two and a half percent of Florida lawyers each year. He maintains a perfect 10/10 rating from Avvo and in 2013 was given an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell. An AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rating is an outstanding achievement and demonstrates that Ryan has earned the highest rating available from Martindale-Hubbell for his legal ability and professional ethics. Ryan served as a United States Marine Corps Reserve infantryman from 1996 – 2000. He posts regularly on a wide variety of topics (most having nothing to do with the law) at his personal blog, www.ryanbarnett.com.

“Our team is committed to personal attention, educating clients, and building a principle-driven practice.”

Bar Admissions

• Florida
• Northern District of Florida
• Middle District of Florida
• United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

Associations & Activities

• Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, Board Member, past VP
• First Circuit’s Nominating Committee for the Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Awards, Committee Member
• LEAP Class of 2011 (Leadership Pensacola)
• Pensacola Area Chamber of Commerce
• Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society
• United States Marine Corps Reserve, Rifleman
• Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency Staff Counsel Division, Law Clerk
• United States Marshals Service, Intern
• Comparative Corporate Law (Carolina Academic Press, 2002), Larry Cata’ Backer, Assisted Editing

Education

• University of South Alabama, B.A., 2000
• Florida State University College of Law, J.D. 2003
• Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University, 2001

Selected Cases

• Decker vs. University of West Florida, 85 So.2d 571 (Fla. 1st DCA 2012), case transferred, period for filing notice of appeal did not commence with University’s initial communication to student of findings.
• Wingate v. Wingate, 2012 WL 1071548 (Fla. 1st DCA 2012), reversing a summary judgment order relating to interference with an easement.
• Bank of America, N.A. v. Lane, 76 So.3d 1007 (Fla. 1st DCA 2011), among other issues, remanded with instructions to allow an amended Rule 1.540(b) motion.
• Majors v. State, 70 So.3d 655 (Fla. 1st DCA 2011), rev. denied by the Florida Supreme Court, 79 So.3d 745 (Fla. 2011), reversing denial of motion to suppress and convictions for trafficking in illegal drugs, possession of a firearm or ammunition by convicted felon, possession of cocaine, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession of cannabis, and resisting an officer without violence.
• Clark v. Ward, 51 So.3d 645 (Fla. 1st DCA 2011), successfully defense of premature appeal.
• Redditt v. Bellsouth Communications, 2009 WL 1659367 (N.D. Fla. 2009), successful defense of motion to dismiss in a federal District Court case where employee and his spouse were alleged to have been exposed to MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus).
• Davis v. Health Center of Pensacola, 906 So.2d 1062 (Fla. 1st DCA 2005), successful defense of appeal of denial of benefits.