Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons

Bios

• 

  Philip D. Ryan

  Attorney

  Philip Ryan has spent his entire career as a lawyer working in the firm his father, Patrick, established in 1984. Philip began worked at the firm in 1985, while still attending law school and formally joined the firm as a licensed attorney after getting his J.D. in 1986. Although his Oklahoma roots run deep, Philip was born in Washington, D.C., just blocks from the White House, while his father served in the U.S. Army. After his father completed his military service, the family moved back to Oklahoma. Philip attended Oklahoma State University and received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Central Oklahoma in 1981. After completing college, Philip worked in the legal division of the Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner’s office. He enjoyed the work and realized that he wanted to follow his father’s career path, so he enrolled in Oklahoma City University School of Law, where he graduated ranked fourth in his class (working during the day and attending classes in the evening). When Philip began his career as an attorney, he handled a number of insurance receivership cases stemming from the state’s financial and oil industry downturn. He also began handling workers’ compensation claims as well as personal injury cases. Since then, however, his practice has moved away from workers’ compensation and now is overwhelmingly focused on social security disability cases. As a social security disability attorney, Philip has built a reputation for excellence in his field. “I’m known for being prepared — knowing the file backwards and forwards, and knowing my client’s medical history top to bottom,” he says. “This is extremely important in dealing with social security cases as there is an intricate relationship between the medical documentation and the ability to obtain an award of disability.” Contrasting his current disability practice with his earlier days as a workers’ compensation lawyer, Philip says that the nature of the cases are significantly different. Philip’s commitment to a full understanding of the medical documentation and unique impairments in a particular case is part of his commitment to his clients. “When you come to my firm for a social security claim, you know who is going to be handling your case. It’s going to be me. I’m going to be the lawyer who sits next to you if we end up at a hearing. From the moment we finish the intake process to the moment we close the case, I have an active part in handling of every disability case, including 100 percent of the hearings.”

  Education:

  Certifications:

• 

  Rick W. Bisher

  Attorney

  The son of a construction worker and factory seamstress, Rick Bisher was raised to value hard work — a principle that he has continued to apply to his law practice. A Missouri native, Rick spent a large part of his childhood in Central America as Rick’s father transitioned from a blue-collar worker into construction management roles in Guatemala and El Salvador. The family returned to Missouri before Rick was a senior in high school. After graduation, Rick attended Southeast Missouri State University, where he received a B.S. degree in political science, marketing, and management in 1984. By then, Rick had his sights set on becoming a lawyer and enrolled at the University of Tulsa College of Law. During law school, Rick clerked for an attorney in Pryor, Oklahoma, and became a licensed legal intern during his final year in law school. Upon receiving his J.D. in 1987, Rick launched his law practice, which has continued to focus on plaintiff’s personal injury cases ever since. He concentrates his work on cases involving catastrophic injuries, defective products, medical malpractice, insurance bad faith, and nursing home negligence.

  Education:

  Certifications:

  Link: Rick W. Bisher

• 

  Patrick C.Ryan

  Attorney

  Patrick C. Ryan is the patriarch of the Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons law firm, having co-founded it in 1984 after serving for a number of years as a lawyer and administrator in state government and as a Workers’ Compensation Court judge. After receiving a B.S. degree in business administration from Central State University in 1961, Patrick worked as a claims adjuster at Hartford Insurance for several years before deciding that he wanted to pursue a career in law. He continued to work for Hartford for a time after he enrolled at Oklahoma City University School of Law and then took a job with the State Insurance Commissioner’s office, also during law school. Patrick received his J.D. in 1969 and remained in the Insurance Commissioner’s office, and he was quickly promoted to general counsel. He subsequently moved on to jobs as the administrator of the Oklahoma Securities Department and the Oklahoma Department of Consumer Affairs, both gubernatorial appointments. He was then appointed to a judgeship on the Workers’ Compensation Court and a year later became the Court’s presiding judge, a position he would hold for the next five years before deciding that the time had come to go into private practice. Patrick joined forces with attorney Fred Boettcher in 1984 to launch the Oklahoma City law firm that is today known as Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons. Patrick and Fred focused their efforts on workers’ compensation cases and quickly built one of the biggest workers’ compensation practices in the state.

  Education:

  Certifications:

  Link: Patrick C.Ryan

• 

  Charles T. Simons

  Attorney

  Charles Simons devotes his entire law practice to helping working people who have suffered injuries on the job. Since joining the firm in 1996, Charles has resolved more than 4,000 workers’ compensation claims on behalf of injured Oklahomans. “I would say that 90 percent of my clients are blue-collar workers, which is what my background was prior to becoming a lawyer,” he says. “I grew up mowing lawns and helping my dad roof houses.” During college, Charles spent his summer breaks working in a coal-fired power plant. Born in Woodville, Texas, Charles moved to West Virginia at age 10 when his family relocated due to his father’s job. Charles helped his family by working at a grocery store in the evenings and weekends while attending high school, where he excelled in football and academics. Charles was awarded the Drinko Scholarship to attend Marshall University, where he began to think about a career in law while majoring in criminal justice. He graduated magna cum laude in 1995 and then enrolled at Oklahoma City University Law School. After receiving his legal intern license, in 1996 Charles began working in the firm now known as Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons — and he’s never left. After receiving his J.D. in 1998, Charles launched a workers’ compensation practice that has continued to this day.

  Education:

  Certifications:

  Link: Charles T. Simons

• 

  Tim Kent

  Attorney

  Born in Augusta, Georgia, Tim was raised in a small, rural community which was largely driven by the Kaolin industry. In high school, Tim played several sports and lettered in both basketball and track. As a senior, he received superlative recognition. He obtained his bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern University, where he majored in Justice Studies. He became involved in philanthropy – joining Sigma Pi Fraternity International, where he served as Sergeant at Arms for the local chapter. Tim moved to Oklahoma in 2002, where he attended Oklahoma City University School of Law. Since earning a Juris Doctor degree in 2005, his legal career has been focused exclusively in the area of Workers’ Compensation. Although he started out defending insurance companies against workers’ compensation claims, he has spent the last eight-plus years advocating on behalf of injured workers – assisting thousands of Oklahomans to obtain the benefits they deserve. Tim attributes growing up in an industry-driven community to both his appreciation for hard work and respect for hard-working people. He believes his time as an insurance defense attorney provided him with unique insight into the insurance claim process which helps him navigate his current clients through the complicated Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation system.

• 

  Riley Bisher

  Attorney

  Riley Bisher’s passion for law and justice is in her blood, as she has followed in the footsteps of her father, Rick W. Bisher into the field of law. Riley graduated Magna cum Laude from the University of Oklahoma in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts in Literary and Cultural Studies. As an undergraduate, Riley studied abroad at Middlesex University in London. She was an exceptional student earning her way onto the Dean’s List every semester. Riley was also listed on the Presidents Honor Roll in 2012. Riley attended the University of Oklahoma College of Law graduating with a Juris Doctorate in May of 2016. Once again, Riley was listed on the Dean’s Honor Roll every semester of her law school career. During law school, Riley remained active within the school and within her community. Riley served as the President of the Organization for the Advancement of Women in the Law. She was a member of the Public Interest Law School Association and she also participated in a Volunteer Income Tax Association program that helped lower income Oklahomans with their tax returns. Additionally, Riley volunteered with the Victim Protective Order Program, assisting victims of domestic violence and stalking complete the legal documentation necessary for protection. Riley also was a member of the American Indian Law Review, serving as an Editor for the publication her 3rd year of law school. While a student at OU, Riley was named one of the best speakers of her entire first year class and was invited to join and competed in the prestigious National Moot Court Competition. Riley has worked not only in the area of civil litigation but served Oklahoma County as a prosecutor. While at the District Attorney’s office, Riley tried multiple cases including homicides, sexual assault cases, drug trafficking, domestic violence, and armed robberies. She predominantly worked as a domestic violence prosecutor as helping victims has always been her main passion in the area of law. She left the District Attorney’s office to join her father at Ryan, Bisher, Ryan & Simons. Riley understands that when someone calls her law office, they are often scared, hurt, and unsure of what to do next. It is her greatest passion to work with individuals to get them the justice that they deserve and protect their rights against corporations and insurance companies. It is an honor and a privilege to fight for those in need and help them get their lives back. When she is not at work, Riley enjoys spending time with her dog and cat, reading, going to museums, and traveling.

  Education: