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Portrait of Allison Grow Ryan
Partner

Allison Grow Ryan

Allison creates and executes litigation strategies based on her clients’ business goals.

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Allison is a litigator and trial lawyer who represents clients nationwide in trial and appellate courts and in arbitration. She routinely handles claims for breach of contract, trademark violations, unfair and deceptive trade practices, wage and hour law violations, and franchise registration and relationship law violations. Allison has extensive experience managing large, complex disputes—including cases involving multiple franchisees or franchisee associations—as well as employment and other class actions.

Allison also advises general counsel, boards of directors, and other executives on a wide range of franchisor-franchisee issues. She develops complex advice memoranda, litigation avoidance strategies, and practical checklists for use in franchise systems. This work includes guidance on joint employer liability, brand transformations, minimum wage laws, vicarious liability, the litigation risks of mergers and acquisitions, and best practices for document retention and storage.

Did you know

Before becoming an attorney, Allison worked in Alzheimer’s disease research.Allison plays the flute and the piano.Allison is proud to share her birthday with Star Wars Day.  May the Fourth be with You!Allison is the first woman in her family to graduate from college and the first person to earn a graduate degree.Allison’s four-year-old recently taught her how to swim (a major accomplishment after a lifetime of avoiding the water)!Allison loves to cook everything from tacos to Thanksgiving dinner.Allison won grammar competitions in middle school (but is a terrible speller).Allison has always been an Illinois resident.Allison’s current passion project is never running out of new silly books to read to her children. Recommendations?Allison loves her minivan.

Credentials & Contributions

Education

  • Juris Doctor, Northwestern University School of Law
  • Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, Wheaton College

Bar Admissions

  • State of Illinois
  • United States Courts of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • United States Courts of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
  • Northern District of Illinois
  • District of Colorado

Associations

  • International Franchise Association
    • IFA Legal/Legislative Committee (2015-present)
    • IFA Legal Symposium Task Force (2021-2022)
    • IFA Women’s Franchise Network – Chicago Chapter, Co-Chair (2015-2019)
  • American Bar Association Forum on Franchising
    • ABA Forum on Franchising Women's Caucus (2017-2019)
  • Northern Illinois Franchise Association

Speaking & Publications

  • Co-Author, "Franchise Relationship Laws: A Practice Guide - Illinois Chapter," ABA Book Publishing (Aug. 2025)

  • Speaker, "Regulatory Watch: Gauging the Legislative Impacts on Franchising," Franchise Times Legal Eagle Virtual Summit (March 2023)

  • Speaker, "2022 Judicial Update" & Author "2022 Judicial Update: Select Encroachment, Disclosure, Fraud and Termination Cases," IFA Legal Symposium (May 2022)

  • Speaker, "The Push and Pull of System Change and Enforcement," Franchise Times Legal Eagle Virtual Summit (April 2022)

  • Speaker and Co-Author, “Winning Round One: A Preliminary Injunction Motion in a Franchise Case,” ABA Annual Forum on Franchising (Oct. 2018)

  • Co-Author, “Effectiveness of the Legislative Response to Joint Employer Liability,” Franchise Law Journal (Winter 2018)

  • Speaker and Co-Author, “Basics Track: Trademarks and IP,” IFA Legal Symposium (May 2017)

  • Co-Author, “Are You Ready to Franchise?,” Food Industry News (Dec. 2015)

Awards & Recognition

Illinois Super Lawyer (2014-2026)Franchise Times “Legal Eagle” (2020-2025)The Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation (2025-2026)