On Friday, September 19, 2025, the Supreme Court of Illinois granted a motion by Attorney Eric J. Ryan to have his name removed from the roll of attorneys licensed to practice law in the state. This action, made effective immediately, was pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 762(a).
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Eric J. Ryan,” with case no. M.R.032738.
The circumstances surrounding Ryan’s request stem from a disciplinary investigation by the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC). According to a document filed with the Supreme Court, at the time Ryan requested his name be stricken, a three-count amended complaint was pending against him before the ARDC Hearing Board.
The Administrator of the ARDC, Lea S. Gutierrez, detailed the allegations against Ryan in a Statement of Charges. The complaint centered on accusations of dishonest and intentional conversion of $30,000 in client funds. Specifically, the ARDC alleged that in 2015, Ryan agreed to represent S.M., as administrator of the estate of A.M., in a wrongful death case in DuPage County. A settlement was reached in June 2018, resulting in a $30,000 payment to the estate. The check was deposited into Ryan’s client trust account in July 2018.
The ARDC alleged that Ryan transferred $10,000 from the trust account to his operating account, purportedly for attorney’s fees, without providing a written settlement statement or obtaining authorization from the client. Further, by June 2019, the balance of the client trust account was allegedly drawn down to just $0.07, indicating that Ryan had used approximately $29,999.93 of the settlement funds for his own purposes without permission.
The ARDC also accused Ryan of providing a false bank statement to the client in March 2023. When S.M.’s sister requested proof that the settlement funds were still in the trust account, Ryan allegedly created and sent a fabricated statement showing a significantly higher balance than the actual $1.51 that was in the account at the time.
In addition to the allegations regarding the mishandling of client funds and the falsified bank statement, the ARDC accused Ryan of making dishonest statements and providing a forged document to the Administrator during the disciplinary investigation. Specifically, it was alleged that during a sworn statement in January 2025, Ryan falsely claimed he was holding a $30,000 cashier’s check to repay the estate. When asked to produce the check, Ryan allegedly submitted a digitally altered image of a fraudulent cashier’s check that he had taken from a warning article on the internet.
The ARDC maintained that Ryan’s conduct violated Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct, including rules related to failing to hold client property separately, making false statements in a disciplinary matter, and engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.
The Supreme Court’s decision to grant Ryan’s motion to strike his name from the roll of attorneys effectively ends his ability to practice law in Illinois.
The Disposition states:
“Motion by Eric J. Ryan to strike his name from the roll of attorneys licensed to practice law in Illinois pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 762(a). Allowed. Effective immediately.”
According to Avvo.com, Mr. Ryan was an appeals attorney in Geneva, Illinois. He attended the Northern Illinois University College of Law, graduating in 2001. He acquired his law license in Illinois in the same year.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
