Ryan W.Dumm
Partner
Litigation
rdumm@seyfarth.com
In construction, few things go exactly as planned. Clients turn to Ryan to protect their interests before breaking ground, to solve problems throughout the course of a project, and to resolve disputes that inevitably arise in any intricate build.
More About Ryan
Ryan represents owners and contractors in complex construction matters. His practice covers the full lifecycle of a project, including construction and design agreements, construction administration, and the resolution of claims and disputes in litigation and arbitration. Ryan primarily represents parties working to construct high-rise commercial office and hospitality spaces, multi-family residential, heavy civil, public infrastructure, and alternative energy projects. He brings a practical and business-oriented approach to each project and is a trusted advisor to developers, general contractors, and design professionals alike. He frequently appears before judges, arbitrators, and state regulators to advocate for his clients and present the nuances of construction in a clear and concise manner.
- JD, Seattle University School of Law
Magna cum laude
- BA, University of Puget Sound
Politics and Government
- Washington
- US Court of Federal Claims
- US District Court, Eastern District of Washington
- US District Court, Western District of Washington
- Civilian Board of Contract Appeals
Related Key Industries
Representative Transactional Experience
- Counsel to general contractor in mixed use, multi-tower transaction involving the largest construction loan in Bellevue’s development history.
- Counsel to owner-developer in portfolio of commercial and residential new construction and rehabilitation projects in San Jose’s downtown core, spanning over a billion dollars in construction activity.
- Counsel to owner-developer in the design and construction of 35-story, luxury mixed-use high rise in downtown Portland.
- Prepared engineering, procurement, and construction agreements for novel green energy projects across the western United States related to renewable natural gas, waste to energy initiatives, power demonstration projects, and other EPC arrangements.
- Counsel to owner-developer in the design and construction of luxury hotels.
- Developed suite of project-specific design and construction agreements for multiple successful projects.
Representative Claims and Litigation Experience
- Successfully resolved lien foreclosure action against 44-floor office tower involving over a dozen parties to recover damages for delay and substantially changed work.
- Overturned termination of contractor from public works project and established the standards to justify a termination for default before the Washington Supreme Court, recovering client’s attorneys’ fees in litigation spanning six years.
- Counsel to owner-developer to resolve complex separation from general contractor over three separate high-rise projects in downtown Seattle.
- Recovered substantial losses for general contractor from equipment supplier in a failed energy project and bet-the-company litigation.
- Secured multi-million dollar public works contracts in bid protest proceedings.
- Reduced or eliminated unfair administrative citations that impact future business opportunities.
Related News & Insights
-
Firm News
08/15/2024
220 Seyfarth Attorneys Chosen as Leaders in Their Fields by Best Lawyers in America 2025
-
Recognition
06/01/2023
2023 Chambers USA Names 81 Seyfarth Lawyers as Leaders in Business Law; 36 Seyfarth Practices Also Recognized as Leaders in Their Fields
-
Firm News
Nov 3, 2022
Seyfarth’s Seattle Office Welcomes Trio of Partners in Corporate and Litigation Practices
- Recognized as a Recommended Attorney for Real Estate - Construction (including construction litigation), The Legal 500 (Legalese Ltd.) (2024)
- Recognized as a “Ones to Watch” lawyers by Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) for Construction Law and Construction Litigation (2021-2024)
- Recognized for Litigation - Construction (Washington) by Chambers USA (2024)
- Recognized by Washington Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters) for Construction Litigation (2024) and a “Rising Star” for Construction Litigation (2017-2023)
- Recognized as an “Up and Coming” attorney for Construction (Washington) by Chambers USA (2021-2022)
- University of Puget Sound, board of trustees (2023-present)
- American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law, member
- American Institute of Architects, member
- Associated General Contractors of America, member
- King County Bar Association, Judicial Screening Committee, member
- Washington State Bar Association, Construction Law Section, member
- Co-Presenter, "Financed Construction Projects: Considerations for Privately Financed Construction Projects," The Seminar Group, Washington Construction Law (September 27, 2024)
- Program Co-Chair, "Washington Construction Law," The Seminar Group (September 26-27, 2024)
- Co-Presenter, "Attorney’s Advice – Best Practices for Claims Avoidance & Risk Management," Annual Construction Conference 2024, Construction Management Association of America Northwest Chapter (April 19, 2024)
- Pro Bono counsel to victims of predatory construction practices
In construction, few things go exactly as planned. Clients turn to Ryan to protect their interests before breaking ground, to solve problems throughout the course of a project, and to resolve disputes that inevitably arise in any intricate build.
More About Ryan
Ryan represents owners and contractors in complex construction matters. His practice covers the full lifecycle of a project, including construction and design agreements, construction administration, and the resolution of claims and disputes in litigation and arbitration. Ryan primarily represents parties working to construct high-rise commercial office and hospitality spaces, multi-family residential, heavy civil, public infrastructure, and alternative energy projects. He brings a practical and business-oriented approach to each project and is a trusted advisor to developers, general contractors, and design professionals alike. He frequently appears before judges, arbitrators, and state regulators to advocate for his clients and present the nuances of construction in a clear and concise manner.
- JD, Seattle University School of Law
Magna cum laude
- BA, University of Puget Sound
Politics and Government
- Washington
- US Court of Federal Claims
- US District Court, Eastern District of Washington
- US District Court, Western District of Washington
- Civilian Board of Contract Appeals
Related Key Industries
Representative Transactional Experience
- Counsel to general contractor in mixed use, multi-tower transaction involving the largest construction loan in Bellevue’s development history.
- Counsel to owner-developer in portfolio of commercial and residential new construction and rehabilitation projects in San Jose’s downtown core, spanning over a billion dollars in construction activity.
- Counsel to owner-developer in the design and construction of 35-story, luxury mixed-use high rise in downtown Portland.
- Prepared engineering, procurement, and construction agreements for novel green energy projects across the western United States related to renewable natural gas, waste to energy initiatives, power demonstration projects, and other EPC arrangements.
- Counsel to owner-developer in the design and construction of luxury hotels.
- Developed suite of project-specific design and construction agreements for multiple successful projects.
Representative Claims and Litigation Experience
- Successfully resolved lien foreclosure action against 44-floor office tower involving over a dozen parties to recover damages for delay and substantially changed work.
- Overturned termination of contractor from public works project and established the standards to justify a termination for default before the Washington Supreme Court, recovering client’s attorneys’ fees in litigation spanning six years.
- Counsel to owner-developer to resolve complex separation from general contractor over three separate high-rise projects in downtown Seattle.
- Recovered substantial losses for general contractor from equipment supplier in a failed energy project and bet-the-company litigation.
- Secured multi-million dollar public works contracts in bid protest proceedings.
- Reduced or eliminated unfair administrative citations that impact future business opportunities.
Related News & Insights
-
Firm News
08/15/2024
220 Seyfarth Attorneys Chosen as Leaders in Their Fields by Best Lawyers in America 2025
-
Recognition
06/01/2023
2023 Chambers USA Names 81 Seyfarth Lawyers as Leaders in Business Law; 36 Seyfarth Practices Also Recognized as Leaders in Their Fields
-
Firm News
Nov 3, 2022
Seyfarth’s Seattle Office Welcomes Trio of Partners in Corporate and Litigation Practices
- Recognized as a Recommended Attorney for Real Estate - Construction (including construction litigation), The Legal 500 (Legalese Ltd.) (2024)
- Recognized as a “Ones to Watch” lawyers by Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) for Construction Law and Construction Litigation (2021-2024)
- Recognized for Litigation - Construction (Washington) by Chambers USA (2024)
- Recognized by Washington Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters) for Construction Litigation (2024) and a “Rising Star” for Construction Litigation (2017-2023)
- Recognized as an “Up and Coming” attorney for Construction (Washington) by Chambers USA (2021-2022)
- University of Puget Sound, board of trustees (2023-present)
- American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law, member
- American Institute of Architects, member
- Associated General Contractors of America, member
- King County Bar Association, Judicial Screening Committee, member
- Washington State Bar Association, Construction Law Section, member
- Co-Presenter, "Financed Construction Projects: Considerations for Privately Financed Construction Projects," The Seminar Group, Washington Construction Law (September 27, 2024)
- Program Co-Chair, "Washington Construction Law," The Seminar Group (September 26-27, 2024)
- Co-Presenter, "Attorney’s Advice – Best Practices for Claims Avoidance & Risk Management," Annual Construction Conference 2024, Construction Management Association of America Northwest Chapter (April 19, 2024)
- Pro Bono counsel to victims of predatory construction practices