Mr. Ryan T. Hopper

Experience: Representative Mass- and Toxic-Tort Matters: Representing an international aerospace company in mass-tort litigation involving allegations that emissions from a manufacturing facility caused plaintiffs to develop various cancers, central nervous system disorders, and congenital anomalies. Thus far, GT has secured dismissal with prejudice of a putative class action seeking medical monitoring and damages for alleged diminution in regional property values. GT has also won summary judgment on dozens of individual claims, including wrongful death claims, based on successful motions to exclude expert causation opinions as unreliable.; Defended three real estate development companies in litigation arising out of the tragic collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium building in Sunny Isles, Florida. GT spearheaded multi-party defense efforts that resulted in the second-largest class action settlement in Florida history at the time. The settlement resolved all claims against GT's clients with no monetary contribution from them and with their insurers contributing less than 2.75% of the total settlement fund.; Defended a public utility company in a putative class action brought by residents alleging that power plant emissions elevated regional cancer rates and contaminated an approximate 80-square-mile area with radionuclides, metals, and other constituents. GT's defense efforts led to the plaintiffs' complete dismissal of all claims asserted on behalf of the approximately 15,000-member putative class with prejudice.; Defended a fertilizer production company in federal toxic-tort litigation in which the plaintiff alleged that she suffered adverse health effects as a result of exposure to sulfur dioxide emissions. GT prevailed on all claims in the trial court on Daubert and summary judgement motions, Williams v. Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC, No. 8:14-cv-1748, 2016 WL 7175657 (M.D. Fla. June 24, 2016), which the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed, Williams v. Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC, 889 F.3d 1239 (11th Cir. 2018).; Defended international mining company in litigation involving allegations that land-reclamation activities diminished the value of nearby property. GT secured partial summary judgment, after which the matter resolved on confidential terms.; Defended a chemical manufacturer in a wrongful death action, obtaining the plaintiff's voluntary dismissal with prejudice following a targeted discovery strategy.; Representative Complex Commercial, Trade Secret, and Complex Tort Matters: Member of the trial team that represented the plaintiff, a real estate developer, in a malicious-prosecution and abuse-of-process lawsuit filed against a competitor who had attempted to have our client's $130 million condominium building demolished in prior litigation. After years of litigation, including a successful interlocutory appeal vindicating our client's right to demand punitive damages and a multi-week jury trial, GT won jury verdicts of $1.8 million in compensatory damages (the full amount sought) and approximately $6 million in total punitive damages, including $1 million against the competitor's CEO personally. GT also secured prejudgment interest and attorneys' fee awards.; Represented the plaintiff, a flooring manufacturer, in a breach of contract lawsuit filed against an exclusive distributor. Within a year of filing, GT won summary judgment in the full amount of the funds due to our client, along with awards of prejudgment interest and attorneys' fees.; Represented the plaintiff, a commercial lawncare company, in a breach of contract, trade secrets, and business tort lawsuit against a private equity firm and competing lawncare company. The plaintiff alleged that the defendants misappropriated trade secrets acquired in due diligence for a potential acquisition then misused that information to unfairly compete for the plaintiff's most significant clients. The matter resolved on confidential terms.; Defended a national fuel distributor in nine anticompetition and breach of contract cases filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. GT secured dismissals and fee entitlements that precipitated a global, zero-dollar settlement.; Represented the plaintiff, an engineering and manufacturing company, in litigation involving the alleged misappropriation of 3D-printing trade secrets and related misconduct by former employees and a competing company.; Defended provider of contract-manufacturing services against manufacturing-defect claims asserted by an industrial battery company. The case resolved at mediation on confidential terms.; Representative Real Estate and Land Use Matters: Defended a development group against a neighboring condominium association's lawsuit seeking demolition of their project, a 60-story luxury condominium building worth approximately $1 billion. The neighboring condominium association claimed that development impeded an alleged vehicular access easement. GT was retained as trial counsel after years of litigation by other firms and successfully obtained dismissal with prejudice or summary judgment on all claims. Florida's Third District Court of Appeal affirmed the judgment and entered a mandate in favor of our client, finalizing a complete win and preserving the landmark development.; Defended a development group in federal litigation in which a neighboring condominium association attempted to block development of a planned luxury condominium due to alleged noncompliance with the National Flood Insurance Program. GT intervened and obtained final judgment in favor of our client and a municipal codefendant.; Represented homeowners in a dispute regarding the validity of an amendment to a private waterfront subdivision's declaration of restrictions. Obtained summary judgment, which was affirmed on appeal, and entitlement to recovery of clients' attorneys' fees and costs.; Defended a real estate developer in multiple related lawsuits in which a neighboring commercial property owner sought to have the clients' $100+ million luxury apartment building demolished. GT secured dismissal or summary judgment on all claims as well as an appellate affirmance.; Clerkship: Clerkship, Hon. Roy B. Dalton, Jr., U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, 2013-2015; Internship: Certified Legal Intern, 8th Judicial Circuit, Office of the Public Defender, Spring 2013