Thomas Ryu was very young when he and his family immigrated to the United States. Born in Seoul, Korea, Ryu quickly adopted an American way of life. In his senior year, he was crowned Prom King, co-captained the football team, was elected Student Body President, and earned a 4.0 GPA. Ryu graduated at the top of his class.
Ryu took his exceptional work ethic and determination to UCLA on an academic scholarship. He majored in Psychology with a Specialization in Business Administration. After graduating from UCLA, Ryu went on to law school at Whittier College School of Law on another academic scholarship. Ryu was a member of the Dean’s List, Law Review, and Moot Court.
After graduating, Ryu set to work on gaining worthwhile experience in Downtown Los Angeles. He began working for a small firm while cultivating his litigation and trial skills. Ryu did not forget his Korean roots and wanted to use his impressive skills to help the community. In 1994, he began his practice in Koreatown.
Ryu successfully represented major clients, including Jamison Properties and Kyochon Chicken, LG Chemical, Haitai America, Haitai LCI, Kia Intertrade, Kuk Dong America, Korea Central Daily. Most notably, he spent three years defending Erica Kim and Kyung Joon Kim from the BBK scandal that spurred suits related to Myung Bak Lee, the former president of Korea. In his 25 years of extensive litigation experience, Ryu represented numerous small businesses around Koreatown. His client base includes international transactions and complex business litigation here and across the world in Korea, China, and Japan.
Thomas J. Ryu is a force in the courtroom and negotiations. He excels in client relations and produces impressive results in jury trials, bench trials, arbitrations, depositions, mediations, and negotiations. Ryu has cultivated an excellent reputation amongst his peers with inspiring settlements, court judgments, and jury verdicts.
Tom is licensed to practice in California State and Federal Court.
