Ryan L. Nolte

Ryan Nolte is an associate attorney and a member of the General Defense and Litigation Practice Group. He handles a wide range of complex civil litigation matters spanning across several practice areas including insurance, commercial and business. Ryan approaches litigation with an eye toward results; understanding that advancing his clients’ legal strategies should fit within their overall business interests. Ryan has experience in all phases of litigation, including drafting pleadings, discovery, taking depositions, arguing dispositive motions and trial.

Prior to joining Tressler, Ryan spent nearly a decade as an Assistant Public Defender with the Cook County Public Defender’s Office. Ryan was a felony trial attorney where he routinely appeared in court and defended all cases from inception to disposition for Class 4 to Class X offenses. Over the course of his career there, Ryan prepared and tried bench and jury trials for charges ranging from simple battery to first-degree murder. As part of his practice, Ryan was responsible for conducting factual investigations and case preparation that routinely focused on reviewing complex DNA evidence, evolving technologies in gunfire recognition systems, witness statements, police reports and body worn camera videos. Ryan also researched, wrote and argued motions related to procedural, substantive, evidentiary and Constitutional issues.

Before joining the Cook County Public Defender’s Office, Ryan gained experience at a highly regarded Chicago-based personal injury firm. Ryan was responsible for drafting pleadings, responding to discovery, researching, writing and arguing motions, taking depositions, defending depositions and preparing for trial.

While attending law school, Ryan was on the National Trial Team and received the prestigious George A. Spiegelberg Award for Best Oral Advocate by the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Ryan is currently an Adjunct Lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He teaches Topics in Political Practice and is the coordinator and coach of the nationally ranked undergraduate Mock Trial program. The Mock Trial program is an integrated trial advocacy course that combines the teaching of evidence, civil procedure and trial advocacy to ensure that students achieve a comprehensive understanding and application of trial skills.