Ryan M. Furniss
Attorney Profile
Top Rated Transportation & Maritime Attorney in St. Louis, MO
Selected to Rising Stars: 2017 - 2018
As the founding attorney of The Furniss Law Firm, LLC, Ryan M. Furniss provides dedicated representation to transportation employees in the St. Louis metropolitan area in Missouri, as well as throughout the state. Working to protect the rights of those injured as a result of railroad and maritime accidents, he offers focused guidance and aggressive advocacy to clients in claims under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act and Jone's Act. Mr. Furniss further advocates for transportation employees under the Federal Rail Safety Act and Surface Transporation Assistance Act and has helped employees get compensated for their wrongful termination and/or reinstated with the the railroad.
Before earning a Juris Doctor from the Washington University School of Law, Mr. Furniss attended McKendree University. He graduated from there with a Bachelor of Arts in history and a minor in philosophy.
Having himself grown up in a railroad and farming family and worked two or more jobs at a time to get through school, Mr. Furniss understands the challenges transportation workers and their families may face as a result of work-related injuries. He helps clients understand the laws as they apply to their specific situations. Having over 15 years of legal experience, he has seen the lengths to which railroad officials and companies may go to avoid paying for employees’ injuries. Striving to help those he represents to achieve financial justice, Mr. Furniss provides personalized service and guides people step by step through the process of claiming an injury under FELA.
From an early age, community involvement has been a priority for Mr. Furniss. Currently, he serves as a Member of the Board of Trustees of McKendree University; President of the McKendree University Alumni Association, and is a Past-Chair of the Young Friends Council of the Missouri Botanical Garden. He and his wife are also involved with a variety of other local community and charitable organizations.
- 40%Transportation/Maritime
- 40%Employment Litigation: Plaintiff
- 20%Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
Railroad Accident, Admiralty & Maritime Law, Transportation Law, Employment Discrimination, Wrongful Termination, Retaliation, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Personal Injury - Plaintiff, Wrongful Death, Brain Injury, Trucking Accidents
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2019 - 2021
- Rising Stars: 2017 - 2018
Additional Sources of Information About Ryan M. Furniss
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About Ryan M. Furniss
First Admitted: 2003, Missouri
Professional Webpage: https://www.furnisslaw.com/attorneys/ryan-furniss/
Pro bono/Community Service
- McKendree University, Board of Trustees, Member, 2018-2021
- Young Friends Council, Missouri Botanical Garden, Chair, 2017
- McKendree University Alumni Association, President, 2018-2021
- McKendree University Alumni Association, Board Member
- Young Friends Council, Missouri Botanical Garden, Co-Chair, 2016
- Eagle Scout, 1996
Scholarly Lectures/Writings
- “Pulling Out all the Estoppels: Defeating Bogus Bankruptcy Judicial Estoppel Arguments”, American Association for Justice Newsletter, Vol. 17, No. 1, Fall 2009
- “Establishing a Valid Guilty Plea in the International Criminal Tribunals: The Erdemovic Case”, Collected student papers from 2002: Seminar in International Legal Process: The Jurisprudence of the ICTY and ICTR, pp. 75-124
Educational Background
- McKendree University, B.A., Major: History, Minor: Philosophy, 2000
Honors/Awards
- AV-Preeminent Rated, Martindale-Hubbell, 2017
Bar/Professional Activity
- President, National Employment Lawyers Association - St. Louis Chapter - 2019 - 2021, 2021
- State of Missouri, 2003
- State of Illinois, 2004
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, 2009
- U.S.D.C. Eastern District of Missouri, 2003
- U.S.D.C. Southern District of Illinois, 2006
- U.S.D.C. Central District of Illinois, 2006
- U.S.D.C. Eastern District of Michigan, 2006
- U.S.D.C. District of Colorado, 2007
- U.S.D.C. Northern District of Ohio, 2008
- U.S.D.C. Northern District of Illinois (Trial Bar), 2010
- U.S.D.C., District of Nebraska, 2017
Last Updated: 5/15/2022